


Chaos Avatar Zuko: It Begins

by crazyjc



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AU, Actually edited this a lot, Agni!champion!Azula, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assassination Attempt(s), Betaed, Canon-Typical Violence, Chaos!Avatar!Zuko, Fire Nation, Fire Nation Politics (Avatar), Fire Nation Propaganda, Gen, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by MuffinLance, Lu Ten is an earthbender, Not Canon Compliant, Order of the White Lotus, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, POV Multiple, Slow Updates, Sorry Not Sorry, Spirit World, Spirits are not the brightest, Tags to be Added as Updated, White Lotus Initiate Lu Ten, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, attempted infanticide mention, chaos!avatar zuko, child prodigy Azula, child prodigy Zuko, fire siblings, legit question, long fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28604166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyjc/pseuds/crazyjc
Summary: What if the spirits were more... active than in canon? What if Zuko was Vaatu's avatar, and Azula was Agni's Champion? How would the world of Avatar change?not the best at summaries.
Comments: 72
Kudos: 244





	1. Prologue: Origins

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The One Where Zuko's Hair Matches Sokka's and Other Tales](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21632206) by [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/pseuds/MuffinLance). 
  * Inspired by [Consider The Wildflowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22050730) by [AvocadoLove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvocadoLove/pseuds/AvocadoLove). 
  * Inspired by [Hello Darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22064629) by [Flameo_Hotman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flameo_Hotman/pseuds/Flameo_Hotman). 
  * Inspired by [To Give Birth to a Dancing Star](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25285687) by [Philosopher_King](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philosopher_King/pseuds/Philosopher_King). 
  * Inspired by [Vaatu and Zuko (fanart)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/739080) by there's-no-going-home. 



> Based off the various chaos avatar zuko au’s I’ve been binging since reading MuffinLance’s take on it in chapter 15 of The One Where Zuko's Hair Matches Sokka's and Other Tales, and some of her world building details from “Cheating at Pai Sho”  
> Shout out to the following takes: Avacado Lance’s Consider Chaos series (first is linked above)  
> Flameo_Hotman’s Hello Darkness  
> Philosopher_King’s To Give Birth to a Dancing Star  
> theres-no-going-home’s Vaatu and Zuko art  
> as they and comments in them sparked this whole take on chaos!avatar Zuko… so here ya go.
> 
> also, first time writing for this fandom.

For the spirits, choices are made with consequences. Great Spirits like Tui and La’s choices are felt most keenly—La by all who sail his seas, and every healer knows they must bow to Tui for success. Many lesser spirits—Koh the Face Stealer, Wan Shi Tong and his Knowledge Seekers, and even the Painted Lady were all felt now and then in their choices and consequences. Even Agni, the Sun-King himself, was faced with choices and the end results.

The evident lack of Raava and her human’s intervention meant Agni’s people had run wild for decades, well over a century if you took into account what happened before the previous face died at Sozin’s hand. The face called “Roku” refused to intervene. The face called “Aang” ran away. Raava choose not to overwhelm her human, so Agni’s people overwhelmed the world.

Until recently, he had thought Raava would change her mind.

He decided to withhold his fire from the Royal family as punishment. The children of this new generation would lack fire. That would make his will clear.

One of the spirits shared between Tui and him, the Blue Spirit of Steam, Stealth and Shadows, disagreed with this decision. The Blue Spirit was quick to point out that spirits and humans are not as compliant as their Sun-King would like.

Agni ignored them.

The Blue Spirit’s counsel was proven true with the birth of the first royal since Agni made his decision. The son of Crown Prince Iroh was born an earthbender.

The Fire Sages spread numerous lies to explain this. That the Three Mountains had blessed the Fire Nation’s war with their favor by gifting one of their royal children with earthbending. That Agni wanted this fact to be known. That other spirits believed in the Fire Nation’s cause—of spreading wealth, prosperity and true equality to the confused people of the Earth Kingdom and beyond. That the Fire Nation was a civilization so great, that even the spirits of other Nations were blessing them.

Agni found himself frustrated. He weakened the fire around every portrait of the royal family. Surely this would be seen as a sign he hates what they’ve done to his gift of fire, right?

The Blue Spirit merely shook their head.

The Fire Sages merely tended to those flames more vigorously and kept the change a secret.

Then Agni demanded all bending spirits to vacate Caldera and areas near Caldera. If the royal family was seen leaving, to avoid them. No spirit with any kind of bending could bestow bending on the next child—even accidently as with Lu Ten—if none of the spirits were around the royal family, right?

The spirits followed his command.

The next royal, son of Second Prince Ozai, was born without any element to bend.

Agni was satisfied with the result.

The Blue Spirit was not.

And could do nothing about it.

They were not a spirit with bending—could not undo the early work that separated humans from the elements they were made of. That was for Greater Spirits. The Blue Spirit was rarely even mentioned as existing, more ignored than the Lionturtles. So when Agni tasked them to oversee the royal family and report any developments, they agreed. It was an order from one of the Great Spirits, Sun-King himself. They warned bending spirits away frequently, and stayed by the mother of the next royal. She was pining for people she was taken from, and had no fire of her own.

The Blue Spirit knew that the Second Prince was as twisted as this form of firebending he was so proud of. There was no life to his movement, no fun or joy. Only rage and greed.

The parents worried the Blue Spirit. As their child had marks of many twisting paths on them—ones that could change the course of the world. And with Agni’s decree and the father’s greed… it didn’t bode well for the child. The Blue Spirit feared the worst… and was proven correct when the father began to scream of slaughtering the newborn.

Agni was indifferent to this information. One human life was nothing in the face of getting his message across. Not even the prayers of last true priest of Raava were able to sway Agni. The child would not have his blessing; his fire.

Agni wanted his message to be clear: he disapproved of this butchery of his flame, this rage fueled bending and this endless devouring of all people in war. A war led by his people, screaming they had his blessing, his and the Three Mountains, for their victory.

Agni refused to feed that lie for any reason.

The child would not bend fire.

The Blue Spirit—spirit of Stealth, Steam and Shadow—he didn’t care for Agni’s demands or messages. Humans would do as they pleased, see what they wanted, and refused what was right in front of them.

The world needed a worldspirit, and the Blue Spirit listened to Koh’s stories many times. They saw a child born into the perfect position for safety, a place to learn the strongest bending, and a teacher of another element already close by. The child’s various life paths all led to a world changed for the better. But if the child had no bending, he would not live.

So the Blue Spirit ignored all orders. They stole the child’s soul to the spirit world and ran past Koh at the roots of _one_ of the oldest trees in the spirit world, to the tree that was time itself.

The Blue Spirit was never able to speak, but they were adept at knocking A Certain Way to get any spirits attention.

Which meant loudly and repeatedly until one responded.

“Who goes there!”

The Blue Spirit poked the infant’s soul. Just enough to get what he wanted.

“Wah!”

At the growing crack in the world tree, Vaatu let one tendril slip out to inspect the soul.

“ _What_ is the meaning of _this_?”

“ _The world lacks. Raava is missing_ ,” the Blue Spirit signed.

Vaatu twisted the soul in his tendrils, watching it watch him. “And what do you think I can do with this… _human._ ”

The Blue Spirit singed slowly, just to make sure Vaatu understood. “ _The child’s father wants to kill him for Father refusing to gift him fire._ ”

“That does not answer my question,” Vaatu twisted his tendrils more carefully around the soul. The soul flickered for a moment. “And I doubt the little one will fair well here for long.”

“ _Then perhaps_ ,” the Blue Spirit smiled too wide, “ _you can find your other half sooner than scheduled, Lord of Chaos and Darkness_.”

Vaatu shifted the child in his grasp. The soul was too young to be asked their opinion, and would never return to their body if he didn’t.

Vaatu made a simple choice: the child would have his blessing, his connection to each element unlocked. _The fire that makes one’s soul first flickered under Vaatu’s tendrils._

Blue Spirit took the child back, sensing a shift in the soul. The child had Vaatu’s blessing—and all that came with it once the soul was gently placed back into his body. _Next the earth in his body stretched to meet the other parts of earth, from the star dust all bodies come from._

The child wailed in pain.

_The water that leaked from the body called the water in the air over to soothe the child, to welcome them gently and shield them from the pain that all these new connections must be bringing upon them._

The child soothed in their mother’s grasp, lulled while the Blue Spirit observed them further. It wasn’t often the elements moved without some spirit’s intervention after all…

_Last came the air, shocked at the existence of a new child of Air. There hadn’t been one in so long… the air twirled around the child, trying to cool them from the new feverheat that came with fire._

This was not Agni’s plan.

* * *

The child’s soul returned with a cry.

Fire Sage Shyu was the one to profess that Fourth Prince Zuko was given Agni’s blessing with glee. He chose not to breathe a word of how the other elements in the room behaved on the soul’s return. How the air danced around the prince, how his tears evaporated but didn’t leave him, or how the statues in the room shifted ever so slightly. Something you only noticed after going back to clean up the temple on your own. And if you moved everything back in place.

He only spoke of the flames that danced higher when the child returned, of the new fever that raged in the child’s body.

He made sure to cover the tracks of what really happened—the Avatar Spirit had returned. It chose the young prince as its host, surely. This was a sign that the world could be righted; that this damn war would end. Possibly within Shyu’s own lifetime.

He needed to be careful, to conceal this truth from all.

No Avatar was to be told they were such until they were sixteen.

And at sixteen, the boy would be eligible for the crown.

Perhaps slipping in bits of each bending style’s teaching would do the young prince well? He could send for air bending scrolls to be sent to the boy, claim it was to learn from their most fearsome of foes that needed the Great Comet to be defeated. That the prince, Zuko, should learn from them and their was to bring that fearsomeness into his own bending.

After he has both fire and air mastered, he doubts there would be a waterbender in the world unwilling to teach him. Earth would be another matter…

Fire Sage Shyu has plans to enact, but for now? He simply hides the truth from the others, to keep them all safe.

The Avatar has returned. 

* * *

Agni was enraged. Whatever possessed the Blue Spirit to give Vaatu of all spirits access to the soul, no one knew. The Blue Spirit was staying in the human world, watching over the soul that Vaatu—chaos incarnate—had given his own blessing to. Had given each element to.

(Had tied a part of his own spirit to. Could use to break out of the Tree of Time. Could wreak chaos if—)

Angi needed to curb Raava’s twin. He pressed his rage tight until only blue lightning remained—the only part of his flame that he would dare gift to such savage things his people had become. He gently placed it in the next member of the royal family.

The young girl would be his champion, his weapon against Vaatu’s influence.

She would know to sever Vaatu’s bond to the child before it was too late. She could then be turned against the Royal family when he demanded her to.

…Probably.

He wished Raava were around, but she and her human were lost for so long. He wondered if they somehow vanished into the void from before time itself.

He and the human world needed her. But she vanished with her human.

Now Vaatu was making his move.


	2. Chapter 1: Secrets and Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko, and Azula's early childhood. bonus: Lu Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So finally gave up on cutting this down and said 'screw it' and now we got this chapter. cannot guarantee when updates happen, but thanks for waiting!
> 
> and big shout to my beta for catching so many grammar mistakes and tense issues.
> 
> also reminder, Captain Izumi belongs to MuffinLance, and i couldn't resist a short cameo.

When Zuko is five, his sister’s bending hadn’t started yet. But he does notice that she can’t sleep during the day. At all. Father says it’s the mark of a true firebender while sneering at him.

But that doesn’t make sense…

Zuko has been shooting sparks out since he was four and three quarters (a little later than most royal benders) and has trouble sleeping at night. Mother says its nothing to worry about, that it’s just another thing that makes him her little turtleduck while holding him close.

He knows LaLa hates it when Mom calls him that, just like how he can’t call her anything but Mother around everyone else. Firelord Azulon said his “peasant speak” was unbecoming of a royal when Zuko called her Mom during a family-only audience. He wouldn’t make the mistake of displeasing the Firelord—Agni’s Speaker—again. He thinks LaLa is just being mean, like Father likes to be to him. He likes making Mom happy by calling her that in private.

But this is one of those things that Mom can’t answer, a question that Father wouldn’t like.

He wanted to ask Lu Ten, but he’s a teen now, and the guards keep saying that teens hate little kids. That Prince Zuko is better off leaving Prince Lu Ten alone to his studies and friends, and focus on what’s around him instead.

And right now, the thing around him is the fact that every bender in the palace is really energetic when Agni’s eye is at the center of the sky, and seem… not quite sluggish or like they need a nap, but certainly less energetic when Agni is out of the sky and Tui’s reign begins unchallenged by Agni’s light.

So that night when Mother is in her room, and Azula is with the nanny Father gave her, Zuko tried to meditate. He has trouble with it, but it’s a good way to clear your mind and focus on your breathing—which is super important to being a good firebender. General Iroh said so, and he’s _The Dragon of the West_. So he has to know what he’s talking about.

Zuko had to pool his chi in his belly and push it out his left hand. That one always sparks better, and the heat likes to jump out really easy. He had to keep his breathing even for it to work, and everyone knows you need to focus for that. Zuko _knows_ he has trouble there though—there’s so much everywhere, even when he’s alone in his room. Sometimes he thinks he must have left the window open, because there’s a breeze but when he checks, its always closed. Then there’s the way that closing his eyes changes how the room ‘feels’ in a way the five year old could not explain. Even Voice had yet to tell him why the world is still felt or why he can ‘see’ better. For things on the ground at least.

So with deep breaths, Zuko pulls the air into his lungs and held the tiny bits of ‘chi’ it sometimes carried. Then he pushes those bits into his belly, like General Iroh mentioned as a ‘good spark starter’ pool. When he feels there’s enough there for a few sparks, he starts to push and pull the chi into his left hand, like a too big bite of food in his throat. Once the chi was in his left hand, he pushed it out of his hand and to the candle.

The sparks took on his fifth try.

Matching his breathing to the tiny flame was hard though. It moves so much faster than his breathing at that point! But he’s a Royal Firebender ~~in training~~ —he will not let a small and simple task like this beat him! If, if he thinks of the flame’s movements differently, he knows he can do it.

Watching the flame closely, trying to feel where it wants to move… It feels like what Mom calls a dance when they’re alone.But dancing is… not a good thing for his age. It distracts from the rigid discipline necessary for proper firebending.

After a bit, he starts to feel that… thing, between him and Voice. He likes to think of it as a string, something that he can pull and bring Voice to him when Blue Spirit isn’t there.

He feels Voice shift his focus onto Zuko.

Zuko feels the strange heat that followed Blue Spirit in front of him.

He opens his eyes to Blue Spirit standing in the far corner, a raised eyebrow and a gesture to his candle.

Sometimes Zuko forgets Blue doesn’t like light very much. It makes it harder to move around, he guesses. Blue _does_ like to stay in shadows. He thinks that’s why he never sees Blue in sunlight or walking the halls at night. Blue likes to crawl upside down in the roof overhangs instead.

“I have a question.”

Voice moves closer to the fore of his mind. Zuko waits for him to settle before beginning. “Why does every firebender but me rise and fall with Agni?”

Voice did not answer him. That’s… not normal.

“Voice?”

Blue Spirit moves in front of Zuko with wide grin. Oh—he likes it when Blue gets like this. Last time he acted out other parts behind Mom when she read from the play scrolls to him.

“ _Because you have a super special secret mission_ ,” Blue signed like the Yuyan archers. “ _Your job is to keep an eye on other spirits, like me, to make sure we don’t go around hurting your world.”_

Zuko gawks at the Blue Spirit. “Really?”

Its such an important job. Not as important as Firelord or as Royal Advisor or Royal General or Royal Herbalist, but still!

Blue nodded. “ _Really.”_

Zuko needs to know more, to be a good protector from spirits. “Why?”

The Blue Spirit made a “wait” gesture, gathering their thoughts on the matter.

“ **Because Spirits are more active at night, _Human_ ,**” Voice began.

Zuko waited for Voice to continue.

“ **During the day, Agni’s power makes it difficult for most Spirits to move freely. He pours out too much energy for them to freely move between worlds. Tui is more permissive, with many water spirits being particularly powerful during a full moon. Its best to watch out for types like the Blue Spirit during them.** ” Voice explained patiently.

Zuko shivers, remembering one of the new servants whispering of the Blood Witch from the island just west of the capital. She _must_ be the scariest spirit of them all—even Koh the Face Stealer gives people a chance before attacking them... Will he have to fight them?

He’ll ask General Iroh for help.

“What about when there’s no moon?”

Blue Spirit waves excitedly at that, vanishing from sight only for Zuko to feel heat at his back.

“ **…As you can guess, its another boost for Spirits that draw power from darkness and use it to their advantage.** ”

The boy’s eyes grew wide as something dawned on him. “Is that why I have a hard time sleeping during those times?”

Voice was quiet.

Blue shrugged with a slight nod.

“I’m going to protect everyone from spirits—that’s why I can’t sleep at night! That’s so cool!”

Voice pushes into the front of Zuko’s mind too fast. It hurts a bit.

**“Human, silence! You are to tell none but your most trusted allied of this!”**

That… didn’t make sense.

Blue Spirit began to sign, “ _you don’t want the Spirits to catch on to your training, do you? Most people can’t see spirits unless we show ourselves. They might not even know they just told a spirit about your **super secret** mission! So you should not tell anyone unless you know they’re safe.”_

“Oh.” Zuko could do this. He can totally keep a secret from everyone. All to himself… totally. “When can we start training?”

* * *

The Royal Guards had taken to keeping a secret from the Royal family. Nothing major per se, just that the youngest prince’s nocturnal tendencies seem to have… Escalated. Just a bit.

Now he’s trying to patrol the grounds on rooftops. At night.

He’s smart enough not to try when its going to rain or if it just did. Foggy nights seem to deter only the rooftop aspect unfortunately…

And if this means the royal guards have to spread out more at night to keep an eye on the child specially blessed by Agni, oh well. Firelord Azulon doesn’t like to be bothered about the Second family branch’s affairs. And it’s no secret that the Second Prince cares only for his daughter. Not his son.

But he’s still a child of Agni. ~~And the most favored by Crown Prince Iroh, _The Dragon of the West. And his son, Prince Lu Ten. And a subject of more Noble Gossip than any of the other royal children._~~

So the guard may have taken a liking to the boy. Even with the nightly heart attacks that watching a small child jump between buildings gave them all. It had one bonus for the night guard; increased stealth and tracking practice.

They can’t let the boy know they’re onto him.

Because then they have to explain how they knew he was there, and why they hadn’t intervened sooner. And given the boy’s _notorious_ inability to keep quiet and being too direct and too honest... as most kids his age are…

The night-watch would like to keep their jobs **and** their lives, thank you very much.

They were not expecting the boy to start harassing the day shift guards over discrepancies. With rather… incriminating questions. And the boy’s inability to pick up on context clues made it that much worse when things came to a head a few months into the Prince’s nightly play-patrols and rooftop excursions

“Captain Mazi, why are gaps between guards so much bigger where Cousin Lu Ten stays, and why are they only that big when he’s here?”

The fact that Firelord Azulon was nearby when Prince Zuko asked that particular question only made matters worse.

“Yes Captain Mazi,” Firelord Azulon said as he made his way over. “Could you care to explain these accusations?”

It was suffice to say, Captain Mazi didn’t last the firing.

Captain Izumi was a smart woman only sided with the Firelord. She left all Royal Family politics and drama to sort itself out. If it did not endanger her Firelord or contradict her understanding of his wishes, she left it to sort itself out. She did not take sides.

She was doing what her predecessor forgot: covering her ass with the youngest prince. She may not have the right to order the prince to stop, or the desire to be fired (literally) for not reporting the youngest prince’s activities sooner.

Unlike former Captain Mazi, she did not pick a Royal Child to ally with. She just decided she didn’t want this one to be the death of her.

One brief discussion with the royal seamstress later, and the Prince’s black underclothing all had bright gold seams and trim.

Easy to spot as long as there’s some light where the youngest prince stands. 

And the first day she spotted a four year old princess copying her brother, the same alterations were made for the princess. And if guards slowed their training and spoke a bit louder about balance tips and such around the two children, none but the guards were any the wiser.

And whenever one of the royals fell, well. The guards were excellent at pretending to think they caught a stray animals by accident and to release it in the palace garden. Which happens to be unlit when they do so.

The Royal Guards are far from stupid. But the fact is, the Royal Family has a special blessing from Agni. And the oddity that is the youngest prince’s firebending being stronger at night may hint to Tui offering him her own blessing for when they moved to conquer the Water Tribe Savages. His mother is the Royal Herbalist, and they are strongly tied to healing and Tui’s influence. The Guards cannot be certain—their focus is security (the Royals, their own, and job security) and keeping two particularly tripping-prone royals from injuring themselves on stray shingles.

* * *

“ **Be gentler human,** ” Voice commanded.

Zuko didn’t even bother voicing his confusion. Voice was in his head, so he had to know.

“ **Your steps. Toe to heel.** ”

Zuko did his best to _think_ what he wanted to tell Voice. When Voice heard it, he could repeat it for Blue Spirit hiding in the turtleduck pond shade. They’ve been trapped there all morning.

“ **The child says it is ‘improper’ to step with his toe first. Blue Spirit, you deal with this.** ” Voice retreated into that place where Zuko couldn’t reach him anymore.

Zuko turned his attention to Blue, who shuffled deeper into the scant shade before moving. “ _You need to be quiet when you patrol, yes?”_

Zuko nodded, glancing around to check that no one saw him respond.

_“Heel to toe pushes the sound out to everyone as you shift your weight, like clapping like this,”_ Blue Spirit spread their arms out wide then brought their hands together with a loud smack _. When you step toe first, you make a much quieter “clap” against the ground. The kind that you give the Play Butchers.”_

Zuko scowled at the reminder of the Ember Island Players. They’re so bad. Mom is better—they should let her handle all the parts or direct it. She’d like that. But Firelord Azulon thinks its too “peasant” for anyone in the Royal family to do. So she can’t.

Voice perked up at those thoughts. “ **Yes human, there is no such thing as peasant or lord, only this silly system created by Raava to divide you all into perfect sheep for her to visit and watch at her leisure.** ”

Zuko didn’t really get any of what Voice just said. Or what a Raava is (some type of spirit building maybe? Do they have those in the spirit world? He thought it was all plant and stuff.)

Voice groaned.

Zuko felt bad he didn’t get it.

Blue snapped his fingers to get Zuko’s attention. _“Do you get why you need to step toe-heel now?”_

Zuko made a face at Blue. As no, he doesn’t—it’s improper and he’s a Royal. He has to embody propriety and the best of the Fire Nation. He can’t be improper. (Can’t be the one to bring shame to the family.)

_“If you don’t step like this all the time, it will make it harder to do your duty—handling spirits. You don’t want to disappoint Agni, do you?”_

That got Zuko to listen. He can’t disappoint the nation’s patron spirit. If Agni is trusting him with the responsibility that the traitor— _the Avatar_ —abandoned, then he will do whatever his Sun-King asks of him.

Zuko began to practice stepping toe to heel, and continued to do so. Voice let him know when he was messing up.

Azula didn’t like that she couldn’t hear him coming anymore.

“Gotcha!” Zuko grinned, grabbing his tiny sister by her waist and somersaulting forward.

“Ah!”

Zuko grinned at her when she began to call foul. “No fair, I couldn’t hear you!”

“Well, you just have to get better at sensing people then,” Zuko shrugged.

LaLa scowled at him. “Like you can sense people.”

Zuko blinked. “There’s three adults in that room,” he pointed to his left. “Eight—no seven—down the hall in the kitchen right now with one person running this way. Hot food and its really piled on so I think it’s for General Iroh in the meeting. Firelord Azulon lets only him eat during them.”

LaLa rolled her eyes until someone did run past with a large amount of food.

“Hey ZuZu,” LaLa pulled out her catopus eyes. Why is he so weak to those? “How did you do that?”

Zuko shrugged. “I could just feel the heat I guess? Maybe Firesage Shyu has a better idea.”

Zuko likes Firesage Shyu. He’s nice. And lets Zuko read whatever he wants for however long he wants. And if Zuko slips up and says something out loud, Firesage Shyu is hard of hearing and doesn’t notice like Mother or his wing’s servants Jizu or Chusu would in the palace. Lu Ten would just tell him to tell his imaginary teacher hi and to leave Zuko alone as “family bonding time, shoo.”

He didn’t want to know what Father or Firelord Azulon would say.

General Iroh would ask him what he and his “imaginary friend” were talking about and add commentary. Zuko made up bad lies since he’s pretty sure he shouldn’t repeat what Voice says. A lot of it is really, really mean.

LaLa frowned at him. “He only likes you, he never has time for me.”

Zuko… didn’t like that. “If we go together, he should have an answer and we can work on it as part of your training.”

His Lala looked off to the side. “I won’t beg him, I’m a princess.”

Zuko wanted to run off at this point, as this is LaLa being difficult. But she’s _his_ little sister. “I’ll ask him, you can practice being invisible outside the door. The guards don’t get to go near his chambers after the last incident.”

Lala grinned—only a little but still! He did that. He made his sister happy. ~~Zuko did good even when Father says he’s only lucky to be born.~~ “Okay, but I’m only following because you’re the bait!”

Zuko beamed at her. “Remember to stay like, four you’s behind me so people don’t see you immediately.

* * *

Firesage Shyu was enjoying his tea, alone, in the Royal palace. At the moment, he was looking over different airbending scrolls and figuring out their movements. It was the best way to sneak airbending into the young avatar’s repertoire without anyone catching on. It will make it easier for him to learn without a master if he’s already familiar with the movement style when the time comes. The old overlap in Firebending and Airbending was lost during Avatar Roku’s lifetime—when firebending became more rigid. When dances became an activity for festivals alone. When discipline became synonymous with single-mindedness and greed replaced passion in their people.

He paused at a light knock by his door. He hurried to hide the scrolls.

“Firesage Shyu?”

His avatar! It was only his avatar. No need to worry about accusations or threats then.

“Come in Prince Zuko.”

The young avatar opened the door slowly, half hiding behind it. “Are you sure?”

The boy looked around and it once more hit Shyu how young the boy truly is. that the boy is only six. And how much the burden of the world and ending the war will weigh on him in a mere decade.

“I don’t want to disturb you if you’re busy.” He was moving further behind the door again, like he always did when he was uncertain. This must be something important to the boy. Perhaps another reading session, or maybe he has more questions he knows wouldn’t be tolerated in the Court.

Shyu plastered a reassuring smile on his face either way. He can’t let the boy think his less pleasant thoughts are because of him being there. The avatar has enough on his plate at six, and does not need guilt for merely _existing_ in addition. Besides, it’s a good thing to mitigate the Royal Family’s influence on the boy. To stop him from blindly following the war for affection from someone who will never be give it to him.

“I’m never too busy to speak to you.” Shyu assured him, waving the small child in.

The young avatar tumbled in with brighter eyes and a wide smile. “Thank you Firesage Shyu!”

Shyu chuckled to himself as he made a pot of spiced tea for himself and the prince. The boy would only drink it if it was more honey than water, and didn’t care for a strong brew. “You are welcome Prince Zuko. Now, why don’t you tell me what brings you to my chambers today?”

Zuko took in a deep breath, trying to find the words.

Shyu mused this avatar might be one of the less eloquent ones in the future, or become the most eloquent by sheer force of will. And reading too many monologues.

“It came to my attention that not every firebender can, well, know where things are.”

Shyu paused. It isn’t an uncommon ability to sense where sources of heat and fire are—it’s an extension of one’s soul after all. However…

“Can you give me an example?”

The avatar pursed his lips together, trying to not lose his focus. “Um, lets just say, hypotherically—”

“Hypothetically,” Shyu gently corrected. The avatar was prone to making up words and it could make negotiations in the future difficult if they didn’t nib this habit early on.

“Hypothetically,” avatar Zuko repeated slowly. “Hypothetically, a firebender that knows where people are in the kitchen when it’s on the other side of the palace, where everyone is and can guess what kind of food is being made, and sometimes who is delivering because some of the servants move in a very notable way. Hypothetically.”

Shyu blinked slowly at his Avatar. That… is a highly advanced subset of firebending. Something that should not be possible until a _fter_ he masters firebending.

“And hypothetically, this person wants to help someone else do this too, but they, they don’t know how they’re doing it so how would they teach someone else?”

Shyu took a deep breath. As he can only assume the avatar means his little sister. The one prone to throwing rocks at people when it’s her turn to be Prince Lu Ten during her and Zuko’s game of “conquer the Earth kingdom.”

He… is not the most in favor of this relationship.

“I would have to say that the skill this person has is very unique, something that takes firebending masters decades to hone.”

“Really?”

Shyu nodded. “Really. The only other people I’ve heard of doing so, especially at a young age, are Chi blockers.”

The avatar mulled this information over while sipping their tea. “So… it can’t be taught?”

“It can be, but only by masters.” Shyu hoped this helped lessen the Avatar’s attachment to his sister, or discouraged it. Princess Azula will only grow up like her father, filled with greed and power lust. It’s best to keep the avatar away from such influences.

“Oh… then, why can this hypothetical person do it?—hypothetically speaking.”

Shyu hummed. He was fairly certain it’s because the Avatar is only re-learning what they have already mastered… but he cannot tell the prince such a thing.

“I believe it would have to be a gift from the Lesser Spirits, one of Agni’s messengers perhaps.”

The small avatar nodded his head and finished his tea. “Thank you for answering my questions Firesage Shyu.”

“I am but a humble servant of Agni, my prince.” Shyu bowed lower than he would for any but the Firelord when he was required to meet Azulon. “It is my honor to serve you.”

The avatar bowed back, higher as he should. One day Shyu would get the boy to realize he didn’t need to bow back to his own servant.

But that was not today.

* * *

Azula didn’t like that the Spirits liked DumDum better than her. She’s the one Father likes, they should like her better than DumDum. She could feel them, the Voice clawing at the back of her mind. It kept saying to hurt DumDum, hurt him real bad.

But Mother hates it when she does that.

And DumDum is her dumb brother.

He even apologized for the Spirits liking him. Apologized to her for their choice.

He’s so dumb.

She’ll master firebending soon, and then she’ll know where everyone is too.

Right after she figures out how DumDum is always running around at night when Agni isn’t around to give him more energy.

If she didn’t know better, she’d call DumDum a Water Tribe Savage with Tui’s blessing. But he’s the same with or without the moon.

Besides, everyone knows Tui only favors healers. And DumDum is too bad at thinking to be a healer. Mother is only smart enough to be an herbalist. And she likes DumDum, and birds of a feather always prefer flocking together. That’s why Father likes her better.

Even if Voice whispers ways to burn Father and Firelord Azulon.

Sometimes, she remembers the day she realized that Dum-Dum is _hers_. Not Mother’s or Father’s or General Iroh’s or Lu Ten’s or even the Firelord’s. but _hers_ above all else.

* * *

It was at the beginning of her training. She had only just learned she has to avoid meditating. Her Voice is so much louder when she tried to, and it always gets her in trouble. She just needed to not burn the leaf through.

DumDum was hovering again. Meditating next to her.

Stupid DumDum with his stupid late bending. And stupid lack of a mean Voice. No one talks about having one. She figures it something she should keep to herself. She never talks back to it out loud. Because she’s smart.

“…I am not going to—uh, you didn’t hear that.”

Azula raised an eyebrow. Did Dum-Dum somehow… She’d make a guess.

“Is your voice telling you to do things people don’t like too?”

DumDum froze like squirrel-deer.

She could make this into a joke if it went wrong, right? Father mentioned kids having imaginary friends… she can blame it on that, right?

“Yes, no, well, kind of?” DumDum rambled. “He likes to say things that don’t make sense and insult people. Then he tells the best stories. The other one is stuck by the turtleduck pond still, and waved hi. They don’t talk, they’re kind of like the Yuyan Archers with handsigns. Oh, but they do explain things a lot.”

Azula frowned. “You have two?”

DumDum nodded.

Azula scowled as her leaf burned through. He has _three_ separate spirits watching over him, AND two spirits talking to him—two Voices. Everyone likes the big old Dum-Dum better than her—Mother, Uncle, the servants, the Court officals. Even the Spirits!

“Lucky you.”

She could feel DumDum wince as she went back to training with a new leaf.

“…What’s yours like?”

Azula snuffed the small spark out by accident. No one asked about her Voice.

“They don’t like people.” Azula shuffled a bit, as it isn’t fair. Why can’t her Voice be like DumDum’s and tell stories or explain things like his other one by the Turtleduck pond? Why is hers always getting her in trouble? “They keep telling me to do things and then Mother gets mad at me for listening.”

Zuko frowned at that. “Does Mother know?”

“Does she know about yours?”

The silence was all the answer she needed.

“You can come to my room, if you want. When your Voice is too much I mean. Or just find me and make up some excuse to take me with you. If I can’t figure it out, maybe one of my voices can?”

Azula studied Zuko then, looking for his end-goal. But he’s too peasant like Mother. Simple. (easy to manipulate, easy for people to like). He’s actually wants to help just to help.

And she knows about his Voices too. She can tell Father if he tries anything.

“Okay.”

Before she tried the leaf exercise again, Zuko grabbed a bigger leaf and started it for her. “These are better to practice with—Firesage Shyu has me practice with them.”

Azula inspected the leaf for a moment before accepting it for what it was. A peace offering.

She wouldn’t kill DumDum like Voice was screaming at her to do. For now… She likes her brother… sometimes. His faces are funny and he’s enough of a DumDum to want to help his own rival.

She leaned back against him to interrupt his meditation. They _are_ rivals after all. But she decided she can be friendly if DumDum is going to be this nice.

“And use your inner voice, not your outer voice to talk to them.”

DumDum got red in his face when she said that with a grin.

“I, sh, shut up!”

“After you ZuZu.”

* * *

Zuko was planning to patrol again. Its good to keep patrolling because he’s a big kid and he’s a Royal Family Member so its his job to protect all of Agni’s people. So he was going to patrol.

But then LaLa came in.

She wasn’t shaking (she’s born lucky, she doesn’t get scared and start shaking like a leaf. Not like Zuko does). But she had sparks going.

“Lala?”

Her eyes were brighter than usual. Was this what LaLa’s Voice did to her?

~~He wonders if Father realized luck goes two ways when he said she was born lucky.~~

Zuko ushers her in like Lu Ten used to when he felt too much and Lu Ten would rub his back until it passed. Mom would hold him close… He could do that for LaLa. She’s small enough to fit in his lap like he can in Mom’s.

Lala grit her teeth when she finally spoke. Well, demanded. “Why can’t I throw fire at them all?”

“Well, burns hurt and you don’t like it when people pinch your cheeks because it hurts and pulls weird, right?”

Lala nodded, pressing against his chest harder.

“Well, it’s, uh, kind of like that. If you don’t like getting hurt, you shouldn’t hurt other people.”

LaLa pressed herself deeper into his chest.

“But they still do it. Can I hurt them then?”

“Uh, I think so?”

“ **Acts of self defense are to be encouraged, Human.** ”

“Voice says so.”

“And,” LaLa was struggling. He didn’t know she could do that.

“ **Bad luck another type of luck. Balance swings back and forth, human** ,” Voice interrupted. Which is rude.

“Blue’s not here right now. I think they’re patrolling again.”

“Patrolling?” LaLa narrowed her eyes at him.

“Well, yeah. If I can talk to Blue and Voice, it makes sense to keep an eye out for other spirits that might try to come here,” Zuko explained.

Voice kicked him for that.

Was he not supposed to say that?

LaLa frowned at him. “What are you? The Avatar?”

Zuko scrunched up his nose. “Do I look like a traitor to you? Blue said that Agni tasked me with watching out for Spirits that want to hurt people. They’re probably jealous of how great we are.”

LaLa huffed before settling back down. “Okay. You’re too bad at lying not to be telling the truth.”

“I—uh, what’s so bad about being honest?”

LaLa pressed against him again. “Do you tell Mother about these things?”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “No, of course not. She wouldn’t understand, she’s too…” Zuko waved his hand as he doesn’t have the word but he knows Azula is smart enough to get what he means.

She smiled a little then. “So only I know?”

“Well, yeah?” Zuko didn’t get what the big deal was. LaLa is his little sister. And does get it. Her Voice is mean, so there’s that to consider too.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way, just the two of us.”

Zuko nodded, a little uncomfortable as he never planned on telling anyone anyways, but it’s LaLa. And it’s not like he’s allowed to make friends—Father said he has to earn the right by impressing Firelord Azulon with his bending first. And the only other person he could talk to is Cousin Lu Ten, who is busy with school, and his friends, and dealing with stupid assassination attempts, and earthbending, and his apprenticeship with Piandao.

So he doesn’t mind letting LaLa say what he was already planning anyways.

Voice grumbles about it, sort of. He didn’t say anything, but he can _feel_ that Voice is watching LaLa. He doesn’t get why. It’s just LaLa.

“…wanna join me on patrol?”

“Like I would let you go without me.” LaLa huffed. “I’m the better bender.”

Zuko groaned a little, as it does sting when she says it like that. “I know LaLa.” He looked around for one moment before making his decision. “After patrol, kitchen raid and I tell you one of Voice’s stories?”

“…I suppose,” LaLa used that tone she does when she’s playing Firelord.

“Great! Here, put this on. It’s easier to blend into the shadows this way. Blue should still be waiting for me, well, us now.”

LaLa smiled wider at the “us” and took off the on one of Zuko’s smaller black undershirt.

* * *

Lu Ten was back, and took one look at Zuko and LaLa before taking a deep breath.

“Okay, who wants to break the rules and see the festival _without_ guards?”

Zuko and LaLa looked at one another.

LaLa grinned, turning to Lu Ten. “Where are we meeting up and when?”

“One degree after Agni sets, just past the servants’ gate. Remember to wear more Ember Island clothes, okay?” Lu Ten said a bit slower than necessary. After all, Zuko is a master of disguise.

The two kids nodded quick to run off.

They missed Lu Ten’s shoulders sagging. “Thank Agni, I won’t have to worry about them for once.”

* * *

Zuko learned a few things during the festival. One of which was that the royal guards are everywhere, and will spot him, Azula and Lu Ten if they don’t change their hairstyle enough. Another was that Azula is the best at making perfectly crunchy fireflakes, and would make them perfect for him if he moved the bag near her and made kitten-pup eyes.

Oh, and Lu Ten’s would-be assassins run away when he and Azula let their own sparks fly.

LaLa’s flames had no more orange when she got angry—and that was weird. All yellow and the smallest bit of white. His were still just a deep orange with some yellow even when he was really angry at them for trying to hurt Cousin Lu Ten.

Voice wasn’t interested in the colors. Just in Zuko staying alive.

He doesn’t get why though—it’s three royal benders against a few assassins. And the Spirits are on their side; not the three measly assassins.

* * *

Azula was very, very close to listening to Voice’s usual words.

**_Burn them into ash so they can never rise again._ **

But today, the voice in her mind said something new. Was being helpful for once, instead of distracting.

**_Grow your rage, child. Let it feed your fire. Use it to protect what is rightfully yours._ **

She had a choice: a quick death for these nuisances, or the chance to find out who was attacking what was hers. It was a horrendously obvious choice, but she didn’t like it.

She would not grant a quick death, and lack information on who sent them. She would not fail to protect what was hers by letting herself be ignorant to the one(s) targeting her cousin. Besides, Zuko said all life was a gift from Agni.

She didn’t want to insult Agni. ~~She tries not to think about what the war must mean for Agni. She knows a lot of people are dying. But Agni must have a plan, right? He can make exceptions. He wouldn’t bless her and Zuko if he didn’t make exceptions, if the war didn’t have his blessing.~~

Azula was scowling. Not at anyone in particular. Just the situation and slight headache things she shouldn’t be thinking kept giving her. Plus, her fire **_wants_** to eat them. It’s… not easy to keep inside her when it burns this hot.

**_You must be patient. They will pay more dearly if they must live in dishonor. You gain more by letting them live—information is key little warrior._ **

She directed her scowl at the guards when they arrived, arms crossed just like Father’s when the servants were late. Lu Ten trapped them in the ground.

“Prince Lu Ten, Prince Zuko, Princess Azula!” one of the guards called out, desperate and relieved.

“And where were you when we needed you?” Azula asked with eyes too sharp for a child.

The guards were stunned by her utter brilliance. Why else would they be so silent?

“Uh, Azula?” ZuZu gestured around them. “We slipped out of the store to lose them, remember?”

Oh.

She did. ( ~~The rage stopped eating everything.~~ )

She did not get embarrassed about the oversight, at all. No, she was a dignified royal bender and future Firelord through and through.

“That’s no excuse.” She huffed. “The three of us took down three assassins.”

“Well your royal highnesses,” Captain Izumi began. “We took out the other ten on our way over and are clearing the area of any possible suspects. Prince Lu Ten, if you would.”

Cousin Lu Ten obliged.

“… You’re sparring with us later.” Azula was not shocked, merely… intrigued. By her cousin’s bending. Earth is still inferior to fire, but it has its uses. Clearly.

“If I do, will you promise not to threaten my friends’ family members in Court tomorrow?”

“If they say Father’s plans are inferior, I make no guarantees.”

Cousin Lu Ten looked at her ZuZu for help.

As expected, he did nothing. As he’s _hers_ more than Lu Ten’s.

“It’s the most she’ll offer.”

“Okay, but I want to see where you both are with training first—I am _not_ going to get an earful from Aunt Ursa over a twisted ankle or wrinkled robes.”

* * *

Lu Ten wants to go one record that while he loves his little cousins, they do, in fact, scare him. Not personally, or in the traditional Fire Nation Royal Family way of ‘throne rivalry’ ( ~~that would be Uncle Ozai’s job~~ ).

No.

His baby cousins scare him from their complete lack of self-preservation. And everyone else’s inability to or blatant refusal to stop them.

What five year old runs on rooftops and gets the guard to change their patterns? Baby cousin KoKo. Who the guards take turns trailing. In shifts.

What _three_ _and half year old_ decides to follow after baby cousin KoKo? Baby cousin LaLa.

And what, you would ask, does everyone else do?

Nothing! Absolutely no effort into stopping them.

He’s not even sure if Dad noticed. Then again, when he’s brewing tea, there’s not much else he really notices…

Not the point. If Uncle Ozai knew, it’s no secret he’d blame Zuko and little KoKo would be devastated. If Aunt Ursa knew, she’d faint, and deny the fact or think little LaLa talked him into it.

No one was going to tell Firelord Azulon because _it’s Firelord Azulon._

And the servants and guards? Are too scared of a pair of little kids.

Granted said little kids _did_ just help him stop the latest attempt on his life by absorbing fire (you go KoKo!) and throwing flames back at them at an absurdly high temperature (who is teaching LaLa this? He needs answers. Now.)

Seriously, why is Lu Ten the only responsible and capable person in this family? He’s barely 14 and he’s a harried parent to two tiny tigerdillo cubs determined to turn the royal palace into their own playground.

This is why Dad made him make friends when he was little. He could ruin a real house and avoid causing a national incident. And the assassins had a harder time tracking him, but that’s besides the point.

Now he has to actually fight the two to keep them on decent behavior when their parents aren’t looking. What even is his life? He’d like to switch with someone else, please and thank you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was initially titled "aka: No one in the Fire Nation knows how to shut the fuck up, so we get this behemoth of a chapter" until I cut the 30 + pages into two chapter.


	3. Chapter 2: Strange Bending Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko, Azula and Lu ten are growing up, and its no secret something if off with Zuko's bending. The problem is, no one can figure out what it is exactly, or how to 'fix' it to meet standard bending practices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's finally done--18 pages now but done.

Zuko is seven when Shyu takes him into his chambers and begins to give him additional private lessons. These are secret lessons though.

He didn’t even tell _LaLa_.

He’s pretty sure she knows he’s not learning normal firebending forms… or she thinks he’s practicing the “flashy festival” storyteller firebending. Which he is, sometimes. It’s hard to compress the flames and make them _only_ move how you want them to. Fire has a mind of its own, and it always wants to move. One day he’ll figure out how to make it stay still for a bit.

“Now Prince Zuko, show me what you think this form’s movements are.”

Zuko could feel Voice watching him and Firesage Shyu.

Zuko looked over the form set before him. The legs were… weird. The arms made sense, a simple blast from the hand, but…

“Firesage Shyu, what kind of bending _is_ this? None of the servants have any kind of steps that even sort of look like this.”

Firesage Shyu smiled at Zuko. “This,” he tapped the scroll, “is the bending of the fiercest warriors any firebenders have ever faced. It took the Great Comet to end them.”

“ **They were not warriors,** ” Voice interrupted.

Zuko ignored him, as what was the Great Comet? He knows of Sozin’s Comet, but not a Great Comet. But that would mean Firesage Shyu was ignoring Firelord Sozin’s greatest accomplishment: destroying the Air Savages and their nation.

“They were the Air Nomads—not a single one of their people were not blessed by Feng Gnag,” Firesage Shyu continued. “They were known for a peculiar way of moving in circles, and had the most efficient bending forms. They wasted no energy.”

“ **… that would be true.** ”

Zuko hung on every one of Firesage Shyu’s words. It was forbidden to talk about the Air Nomads—those who chose homelessness to get sympathy from unwitting victims, who praised knowledge above all and made each Airbender an informant to the Air Nomads Council from the first time they flew off unsupervised as young children. They destroyed the concept of family at birth by stealing newborns from parents and forbidding parents from seeking out their children. They had no love for any but their greed for knowledge. The monsters even disavowed marriage. They were ruthless, cowards and sly tricksters. That was all he was allowed to learn about them and Voice **loudly** disagreed with his tutor’s lessons.

Voice was not disagreeing with Firesage.

Firesage Shyu knew more than his tutors.

And Zuko wanted to learn _everything_.

“I want you to study from them and take the best of their bending and its principles. See where it takes you, my Prince.”

“I—” Zuko looked between the scroll and Firesage Shyu. The only one other than Firelord Sozin to speak with Agni and for Agni himself to respond.

“Is this Agni’s will?”

Zuko wanted to study this, study them and their macabre ways. They were a fascinating mystery, fearsome foes, and there are still laws pertaining to running into an descendent of the Air Nomads. He wants to understand the kind of threat they had to be for them to be wiped out entirely by Sozin and his people.

But he won’t commit treason to do so.

“Agni gave me a vision, my prince. You are to face many challenges. As such, you are allowed to read such damning evidence of the Air Nomad’s barbaric ways, and use whatever you see fit. Firelord Azulon has graciously agreed that this is in the best interests of the Royal Family and the Fire Nation.”

Zuko’s hands were shaking.

His grandfather acknowledged him. Gifted him the ability to read some of the most forbidden texts the Fire Nation has. _He is not the disgrace of the Royal family._

“I, thank you!” He knew he bowed too far, almost in kowtow position; for a servant of his family nonetheless. But he can’t help it. He—Firesage Shyu is heard by Agni himself _and_ Agni on earth. He’s not sure if even Father could accomplish such a feat.

“My prince,” Firesage Shyu put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him up with a tight, grip and a horrified face. “Please do not do that again.”

“But, Gran—I mean Firelord Azulon listened to you. About _this_.” Zuko gestured to the bending scrolls. “No one ever convinces him of something he doesn’t already want to do—no one. Not even Father. And Grand—Firelord Azulon _hates_ the Airbenders. And now, you, I.”

Firesage Shyu took a shaky breath in. “You are my prince. It is my duty to serve you to the best of my abilities at every juncture. Now please,” Firesage Shyu all but begged, “do not scare me with such a bow again.”

Zuko nodded eagerly, confused but willing. He… he gets to learn things even Father doesn’t get to see. Only General Iroh and Grandfather were allowed to look at these—original records from before Firelord Sozin’s reign regarding the Air Nomads and their monstrous ways.

He was honored by this trust.

_Grandfather_ trusts him.

The voice of Agni trusts him like he would General Iroh—the crown prince!

Firesage Shyu just smiled at Zuko as he moved to try the strange steps from the scrolls. They work well with the way Blue and Voice made him walk to the point they need to remind him to walk heel-toe at special events now.

He’s so happy.

Grandfather has to like him if he trusts him. ~~He doesn’t hate him too like Father.~~

Zuko eagerly studied the steps. After a while, he decided it was all about moving in circles. When he told Firesage Shyu this, he wrote it down and they began talking about how he should focus on how he carries himself and ways to incorporate it into what his Firebending masters showed him.

Zuko gets more excited. Azula gets to learn how to bend her way. And him? He can bend his own way too. Firesage Shyu said so.

Maybe he can get Cousin Lu Ten to teach him swords—he really wants to add those into his bending too. They’re so cool, and a good weapon. And can conduct heat so maybe he can bend using them?

Airbenders used a strange staff-fan to fly _and_ to bend. Earthbenders make weapons all the time. And water _is_ a weapon that’s everywhere—even in you. (He still shivers at the memory of one of the guards whispering of stories of the Blood Witch. Grandfather forbade it. Even set up separate places for waterbenders to be educated out of their savage ways. He wonders how many have been successfully incorporated sometimes.)

Firebenders have metal armor and metal weapons since Earthbenders can’t bend it. And it conducts heat, so it’s easy enough to manipulate even for really weak benders that can only hold and feed the heat from fire, not make their own fire. Maybe he can make firebending weapons a thing too!

If it’s a good thing to learn from your fiercest foes, then he’ll do that. And do it better than even LaLa could if she tried. (She won’t though. She says she’ll stick to “pure” firebending and build her own army with nonbenders and benders from different elements all using firebending _style_ bending though. He’s not sure _when_ she’ll be able to get waterbenders for that, but he knows she’ll figure something out though.)

It was great, until Father took an interest in Zuko’s bending over a year later. And the new masters didn’t like the bending style Zuko was pioneering. ~~Grandfather~~ Firelord Azulon said nothing on the matter.

Zuko wasn’t sure what he did wrong.

He was doing as ~~Grandfather~~ FIrelord Azulon asked—taking his bending from the most merciless of their foes: the Airbenders. Light steps, quick movements, taking your enemy’s efforts and energies only to let their own efforts be their downfall.

Firesage Shyu called it brilliant, said he managed to make a more efficient version of firebending. That it reminded him of living fire. That he was bending something old and new and wonderful. That his breath and control were unparalleled when he let his fire become a stage for plays at the most miniature of levels, condensing each one into the right shape with almost no flickering that he did not will.

Father called his bending cowardly, unnatural and unfit to be shown to Grandfather. Demanded he train with new masters who were too rigid. It didn’t matter if Zuko defeated them if he was too “Water Savage” in his movements ( ~~fluid, like dancing~~ ). It didn’t matter if he was able to defeat ten masters at once and still be ready to fit after if his—generously labeled “attacks”—were all ‘cowardly’ and ‘unreasonably passive’.

It didn’t matter if he could walk silently and spook every person in the palace when it was a tool of ‘cowards and lowlives’ unbefitting royalty.

It didn’t matter that Zuko managed to use one of Lu Ten’s old swords and figured out how to push his own Chi into it and use it as an extension of himself. To get the tip to spark. That it was the first time it was done to his (and the Royal Library’s) knowledge. That was a non firebender’s inferior weapon and Zuko was using inferior tactics.

Zuko’s efforts didn’t matter if it meant Father despised the results.

And none of it was to be shown to Firelord Azulon.

Failures don’t get to be shown off.

Shameful children are hidden.

Kept silent.

Weak.

* * *

Azula was born lucky. Father told her so. She’s the only one in her generation born with Agni’s flame. She’s the most fit to be the heir, not Lu Ten. Even General Iroh is inferior when compared to her bending if age is taken into consideration. She just needs to bide her time to take the throne. She doubts Firelord Azulon would complain if she challenged General Iroh to an Agni Kai for the throne once she was of age—at sixteen she would become the Crown Princess. She has eleven more years until she can rule.

She has it all planned out. Voice helps.

Sometimes.

Mostly Voice whispers ways to hurt Bad People, who they are, and how far that hurt needs to go. She doesn’t mind Voice—they help her with her bending, her flames the hottest in the Fire Nation. A sure sign of Agni’s unwavering approval of her future ascension. 

Mother doesn’t understand.

But Father does. He says she’s doing well to crush the lesser beneath her feet. And she likes that he says she’s doing good. Even if Voice says to burn him to ash.

Then there’s Dum-Dum. He has two voices—neither of them are as good as her Voice. His tell him stories he whispers back to her. Well, one of them tells him stories. The other doesn’t _talk_ -talk. He makes gestures and helps her Dum-Dum run around unnoticed at night. During the day you can always hear him in the yard or training. His bending is… weird though.

A firebender rises with the sun, with Agni. Zuko… doesn’t. Not how he should anyways. He’s more like Mother and Lu Ten. He can ignore Agni’s ascent into the heavens. Azula can’t. It pulls at her very being and sunset makes her feel exhausted, but she hides it. Agni must have messed up his blessing with her brother. Or maybe it’s what happens when your inner fire isn’t made with you. When someone begs for one to be given to you last minute. Your bending started wrong, so you bend wrong. Zuko is more awake at night, sluggish in the morning, and Azula has seen him firebend at every hour.

It’s a lot better when Agni’s asleep.

It’s… unnatural.

Voice tells Azula to hurt him, to make Zuko’s voices go away. That those voices are evil and wrong and must be purged from the world. That by burning Zuko to ash, she will save the world.

But the storyteller voice is nice. And the one that moves with the shadows could make Zuko into a wonderful bodyguard for her in the future. He’s useful, and for some reason loyal to her. (Zuko is her favorite. She hates that he’s Mother’s favorite too. Only Father picks her over him, and she hates that some part of her understands.)

Unlike Mother, Zuko explains things to her. Like non-benders being less heatproof and more prone to burning, so they’re more scared of fire because it can hurt them much more with very little heat. And how threatening to burn someone to the ground is rude as it means their family loses them and they can’t continue to have great achievements if they can’t make more progress because they’ve been burnt to a crisp. And how all life is sacred since Agni put a touch of his flame into each soul, so all living things are part of Agni in some way, and should not be killed on impulse as it’s an insult to Agni.

Father didn’t like that last teaching.

~~Zuko murmured this to her everyday anyway. Whenever they’re alone.~~

It helped Azula ignore the Voice more, to figure out that people need to deserve her anger rather than just have it by virtue of existing. Even if her Voice says things to make her hurt and angry and attack more often.

She’s getting very good at ignoring intentional provocations, and learning how to needle others in turn. Even when her Voice is trying to hurt her, she grows stronger. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes in the scant legends Father tells her about often. She likes his voice when he tells stories, says that there is no higher title than a phoenix, no creature more worthy of Agni’s attention.

Unlike Lu Ten. He’s a child of the Three Brothers, and not favored by Agni. But Lu Ten also likes to explain things, to be helpful. He lets her practice fighting earthbenders on him, without holding back nearly as much as her other practice targets. He didn’t see a little kid, he saw a young rival and fellow asset to the Fire Nation, clearly. He may also help her steal cookies from the kitchen and let her practice the less… orthodox firebending abilities. Like shaping flames into something and telling a story with them, and instead of correcting her or making comments about how to improve, he’s amazed she can at all and even makes up stories for her flame shapes. He’s an earthbender, yes, but a useful one. ( ~~She loves her cousin so much, and she knows he does too. He and ZuZu and Father are the only ones that love her. Mother hates her. Uncle insults her with his pity. Grandfather loves none.~~ )

Zuko excels at that skill—turning flames into shapes at will—and Azula will not be beat by him. She’s the better bender—her. Not him and his strange bending.

So when she heard Zuko would be taking sword lessons to help with his bizarre firebending—the one that was up in the air too much, that moved too fluidly, that didn’t attack right—but stole attacks and made them into his own defense—she paused. 

The Voice tells her to stop him. To keep him _weak_. It’d be easier to kill him that way.

But Zuko is **her** ZuZu.

He’s the only one that tries to listen to her, besides Father. He sees that she is the future Firelord and that she is the future and she doesn’t _need_ or _want_ people. She’s fine on her own. ~~but likes having people anyway~~.

Mother calls her a _monster_ all but to her face.

Father will listen to her progress, but sneered when she asked how to make friends. Told her that as a child of Agni, _friends were weaknesses_ _to be tossed aside_. That she should look for _allies_ and keep them until their usefulness runs out.

Uncle is going to be Firelord one day, and therefore cannot be trusted. She can’t let him see any weakness. Those will be exploited (why else would he keep trying to make her play that spirits-damned flute that refuses to obey her commands, and send her useless Earth Kingdom dolls?).

Firelord Azulon can only see her at her best—it would be a dishonor to her and Father if she was anything but perfect when in front of her namesake. She would not be the sibling to bring dishonor to the family. (That was Zuko’s job with his weak bending.)

The girls at her school hated her. Unaware she’s their princess—merely ‘sharing a name’ with the _esteemed_ Fire Princess. She excels in class and refuses to help them with simple tasks for no reason. They can’t see that _she’s royalty_ ; while they are mere nobility at best. Only a lowly Chi-blocker from a newer noble family (who has six other identical “twin” sisters sharing her face, _a good spy maybe_ ) and the only child of another noble (who is slated to be the family heir, _a good ally in Court_ ) are worthy of being her allies for future problems… and she may want to be _friend-friends_ with them, but they don’t understand court politics the way Azula does. They’re perfect as _allies_ , but **no more**. ~~More is a weakness she can’t afford to have.~~ She can’t let them see her as less than their superior leader—weaknesses will always be exploited. Father said so. Fear is the only reliable way with Ty Lee and Mai. The other girls would fall in line soon enough, and all will regret ever thinking Azula was merely future kindling on the battlefield; all of them.

But Zuko— **her** ZuZu—isn’t _quite_ as in her way as he should be. He should be her rival. Should be aiming to take her down at every possible turn like Uncle and Father do. ~~Yet.~~ When Mother is done doting on Zuko, and while Father is off without his _superior_ child, ZuZu is... nice. Acts like they’re _peasant siblings_ not _royal_ _rivals_. He’s not even a _threat_ as a rival—his atrocious bending and lack of political backing make it a simple matter to take the throne from him when the time comes… but she doubts she’ll have to.

He’d give her anything if she asked. Or even implied she wanted it.

He got a roof tile off the Mei family’s roof three towns over in one night. All she said was that the color was pretty and it was wasted on a family like theirs.

Azula still grins at the memory.

ZuZu is her most loyal ally, and an absolute failure at being her rival in any way but by appearance. 

They talk. Mostly when it’s dark at night. About their Voices. Hers keeps demanding her to let her fire eat everything—including her ZuZu. It says to hurt him a lot, and he knows. Her Voice is a lot of things Mother says are bad but she doesn’t care about Azula, so why should the Voice be bad then when it cares more about her than her own Mother? She doesn’t always get why not listening to her Voice is a good thing. It gets loud when she doesn’t listen. Says things that hurt too.

It’s only nice when she’s being “bad” by Mother’s standards. Father likes what her Voice tells her to do. Her ZuZu explains what Mother must have meant—and reminds her that mother wasn’t raised like they are. She was raised by stupid peasant herbalists—why would she think like a nobleborn?

Her ZuZu forces Mother’s words to make sense—that hurting Agni’s creations without reason is insulting their Sun-King’s work. He also listens. Even on the days Azula wants nothing more than to burn him, he listens to her every word at night and hugs her tight. Mother never hugs her. Father only pats her head. Lu Ten will carry her around on request, but that isn’t a hug. ZuZu is the only one that hugs her. Even through the times when Azula is at her worst and says she’ll burn him to a crisp if he stays.

He stays.

She doesn’t burn him. ~~Even when Voice is trying to make her.~~

He never tells a word of it to Mother or Father or Uncle or Firelord Azulon or even Cousin Lu Ten. ZuZu is horrible at court politics—his silence about her weakness is proof of his political ineptitude. ( ~~and his loyalty to her.~~ ) 

ZuZu’s Voice’s stories are weird. He talks about it to fill the silence on dark nights. It tells him things that don’t make sense, stories that can’t be true, but when ZuZu tells them to her, they _feel_ so vividly right. Like pieces falling into place.

But they can’t be, because they make a picture that doesn’t match what she learns in school. It would mean too many things are lies and these stories just have to be made up, like tales of there being a way to heal the soul and mind with fire. Everyone knows fire burns, and water heals. Not the other way around.

She’ll put such rumors to rest under her reign.

And unlike her Voice’s words and demands; Father doesn’t need to die—it’d be easier to learn how to rule from him and take over as he weakens with age or hands her the throne and he is tired of its weight. ~~She can’t see Uncle on the throng for long before Father takes it as the better bender in an Agni Kai~~. And ZuZu is **hers** ; he is not dying, he’ll be her loyal captain of the guard or maybe her personal assassin or royal scholar or some other position—she hasn’t quite decided. Uncle dying would make it easier for her to ascend as Firelord in the future. He would fight her for the throne. She doubts Lu Ten would fight her over it—once she’s of age, he’d gladly give her the throne in exchange for being able to oversee the colonies and having equal treatment enforced by another Royal Firebender—herself. The message will be better received by the nobles if it's her sending it. She knows he prefers being around other earthbenders in the colonies to being in Caldera. And she has a simpler path to the throne this way.

ZuZu’s Voice is… well, he likes theater, so of course his Voice would tell him stories and only stories. He tries to tell them back to her, but she’s not sure if he’s doing it right, ever. She still likes them.

“And apparently there were thousands of ways to bend, and everyone was only allowed to bend when they were off the lionturtles, which was kind of stupid but I guess it made it so fights and Agni Kais didn’t hurt the lionturtle as much, and then…”

She likes ZuZu. He’s loyal to her, above everyone else. Her secrets are safe with him, and he tells her his ( ~~mostly~~ ). She doesn’t really like Uncle, who keeps sending her these stupid Earth Kingdom dolls that everyone knows she can’t stand. She knows he hates her. Envies that she’s the better bender and that she should be another future Firelord, not his son. Lu Ten remembers that she hates dolls and sends her bending scrolls—fire, earth, even water in case they run into one and need to figure out how to get around their defenses. 

Lu Ten doesn’t treat Azula like some silly girl like Ty Lee. And Ty Lee is a Chi-blocker that does acrobatics—so she’s not _too_ silly. At least her _ally_ is a good combatant, albeit a very cheerful one.

And besides sparring, Lu Ten will play with Azula how she likes to play. And doesn’t tell her to practice her flute (an insufferable instrument that won’t bow to her) while Zuko plays his tsungi horn effortlessly, flawlessly and without looking at any sheet music like a certain General ( ~~Iroh~~ ). Lu Ten is more than happy to give Azula a set of drums to play as that is a far better war instrument and until they’ve won the war, what’s the point of all these other stupid instruments other than to placate the nobles and make them pliable during talks? She can hire trained musicians for that.

She is not hurt when Lu Ten takes _her_ ZuZu to Piandao—ZuZu is an awful firebender. His forms are all off, his footwork is weird but okay. But, he’s far better at combat when he’s not bending… and she’ll admit he excels at night, not during the day. Even when he’s bending, its so much More at night. It’s better to keep that secret. ZuZu giving up on firebending is for the best.

It’s why Azula _lets_ her ZuZu join playtime with her Ty Lee and her Mai. He’s better at fighting with them and when he uses whatever is on hand to fight… Maybe she’d have the three become her own elite fighting team in the future, with limited bending at night for ZuZu. As a way to throw off enemies and opponents. Lu Ten isn’t allowed to play with them—he’s far too old and wouldn’t let them get away with any of the fun things like the apple on Mai’s head. He’d preach like Mother but in a way that makes some sense like her ZuZu. And sometimes she needs to give into her Voice, and Lu Ten wouldn’t understand like ZuZu does. 

And she likes practicing her stealth with ZuZu—scavenger hunts around the palace at night while not getting caught was a favorite game of hers to play. She didn’t always win those. She knows ZuZu has a talent for combat, and is a lot better at night. Maybe he could become her personal assassin? It’s why she _allows_ her ZuZu to go study the sword, and told her Voice to be quiet. ZuZu was _hers_. When he proved the most useful, she’d make sure ZuZu became captain of the Royal Guard or took some other title with royal in it, where he didn’t have to use that weird firebending all the time. He can be her secret weapon. He’s no good at politics—he can’t lie.

Azula can. 

( ~~She does to herself everyday.~~ )

ZuZu and Lu Ten are **hers**. Just like Mai and Ty Lee are _hers_. She’ll keep them safe as long as they stay loyal to her. And when she’s Firelord, she’ll keep all under her Fire Nation rule safe too. She trusts the four of them to be good at some aspects and will give each important appointments. No one will question their authority or right to stand by her side that way. But for now, she has meetings to attend at Father’s side, and others to listen in on after thoroughly proving herself superior to her teachers.

Again.

* * *

Zuko was told Agni specially blessed him and his sister, in different ways. That Agni… missed him at first ( ~~lucky to be born, Father reminded him constantly. Zuko was lucky to be born~~ ). It was why his tutors demanded he train twice as hard as others—his flame came late, so his bending was lesser. Firesage Shyu was the one to tell him Agni did gift him talents that would tie to his bending—his musical gift (useless) and his knack for sneaking and skulking about (potentially useful) were once key parts of Fire Nation culture… back when the Sun Warriors were around. Music to praise Agni and celebrate the life Agni gifted them, stealth to hunt for their people like the savages they were. Only savages have to hunt. But he is almost a Sun Warrior—ZuZu is no savage like them—and these gifts are useless to the war effort.

Maybe Agni wanted him as his priest of some sort?

He doesn’t know.

Agni tasked him with keeping the spirits and humans on neutral or friendly terms. A job that the missing, treasonous Avatar failed to do.

And one he must keep secret above all else.

Azula? She was a prodigy ( ~~Azula was born lucky, born with Agni’s flame hot and bright from the start~~ ). She was five when her flames turned from orange to yellow when enraged. At six they were yellow all the time, and sometimes blue. And at six and a half, she began bending lightning. Father learned how from watching her and asking her questions. Azula attends meetings with Father every day, and knows how to get results. (Unless it involves talking to people as equals… she’s not good at that.)

By then, Zuko was well acquainted with all of Lu Ten’s weapons, and knew how to use each himself. His bending may be inferior, unworthy of Firelord Azulon’s gaze, but Zuko is fast approaching the title of weaponsmaster and herbalist should Firebending fail him.

Mother kept him close when she could, even taught him each herb, how to identify, treat, and administer and in what dosage to who. He even knew how to check for quality. She only let Fire Sage Shyu choose his firebending tutors at first. But his forms and everything was off from what everyone expected in his demonstrations—and he knew it. He led with the wrong hand (Father struck him for that, dragged him off in private). Father changed his firebending masters constantly until Zuko was under ones Father liked.

His right hand was weaker with fire than the left.

His bending problems got worse under masters Father chose.

His movements were “too flashy” and based in the “wrong” things (but he knows they aren’t! He made them this way with Grandfather’s approval. If they just—). He didn’t use his fire to attack quickly in barrages like he’s supposed to. He kept using his flame to eat their fire and make it his own, to break attacks (too much Air Nomad cowardice) before twisting the flames back on his masters. He didn’t understand ‘the best defense is a strong offense’ to matter how much it was told to him—a good defense is one that breaks any offense, right? (too Earth Kingdom. Lu Ten said it was good to understand more than one fighting style, and sometimes the Earth Kingdom—for all its faults—was correct. Why else had they not yet conquered Ba Sing Se?). Then his movements weren’t as stiff as they should be—they kept yelling that he was acting like a Water Tribe Savage was teaching him. (He knows that the Northern Tribe is well respected, isolated, and considered a great people. He doesn’t understand how savage they can be if even Firelord Azulon refuses proposals to attack them until the “Southern Experiment” proves effective. Whatever that means.) 

Fire Sage Shyu told him he was doing well, that it was okay as the Great Spirits had plans for him, and this difference in bending was part of it. He was told not to say anything and Voice made sure he didn’t. 

The Voice said he was moving more how fire was meant to, as a _dance._ ~~Those are banned. His firebending is criminal~~. That he moved _with_ the sun and moon’s light, darting into shadows before calling his own fire to eat another’s. That Zuko’s fire didn’t _need_ to be what he was being told, that he should Trust his instincts. 

Father Disagreed. ( ~~And that mattered more than anything else.~~ )

Zuko wished more and more that he could just bend like a Proper Firebender and not this amalgamated monstrosity he designed. The Voice told him he was bending his fire in _the true form_. That he wasn’t wrong no matter how much his masters and Father disagreed. 

It didn’t feel like it.

It felt like Zuko was wrong ( ~~for even existing~~ ).

Lu Ten liked to practice fighting against Zuko, and was the only one to compliment him on his ‘mixed bending’ as “taking wisdom from many sources is a pretty good thing. It’s what the best masters have always done—take the best of the best from as many places as they can and make it their own.”

It gave Zuko a thin sliver of hope.

Moments like that was why Lu Ten was Zuko’s favorite family member. Mother is his favorite parent. Azula is his little sister—no matter how much he can’t stand her nearly destroying everything some days, he knows why. Her Voice is cruel, and no one else can know but him. She may have been born lucky, but he knows luck can be good or bad.

Lu Ten is lucky to be a bender at all—especially an earthbender when so few are born in the Earth Kingdom—let alone in the Fire Nation.

But Lu Ten is an Earthbending Fire Nation Royal.

That’s bad luck.

Lu Ten knows what having _good luck_ in _unimportant places_ and _bad luck_ in _important places_ is like. It’s why Lu Ten was one of the few people Zuko could trust to see him as Zuko first, not the Royal Family’s disappointment. ( ~~He knows they call him this. They had to beg Agni to bless him. No Royal Family Member have ever been born without fire before Lu Ten, who was **still** a bender. Zuko was born a nonbender. He was born slotted into the role of disgrace~~.)

Lu Ten spoke to Father in private. Suggested Zuko train under Piandao to strengthen his firebending by learning more than one way of fighting—a way to help him see what his movements were doing and find out what it was that was making his firebending so… strange. 

Uncle Iroh happily endorsed this. It was how Lu Ten improved his earthbending, and reminded Fire Lord Azulon and Father that there is quite the overlap between the two disciplines of earth and fire—and ‘perhaps learning from a non-bender that defeated their army single handedly was a good way to keep their relationship from souring. Again.’

Lu Ten already taught Zuko the basics of sword fighting at the palace, and Zuko’s own self study made many different weapons a comfort in his grip, but only with many basic moves he’d learned from various guards.

It was time for refining his technique. 

Piandao and Fat were content to teach Zuko if it meant the Royal Army would stop skulking about his town on “random check-ins” every time some soldier mentioned anything vaguely treasonous or mutinous. Or a possible traitor or possible-traitor-relation visited Shu Jing.

Thus, Lu Ten brought Zuko along to observe one of Lu Ten’s lessons for a week, as a test run.

* * *

“Zuko,” Piandao said from his place by Lu Ten. They were forging a sword, the final step in a swordmaster’s apprenticeship—mastering sword creation.

Zuko was going over basic forms with a light sword in his right hand. A part of him idly wondered if he could join the Yuyan Archers if all else failed. If he is sworn to silence and nonbending, maybe Father would be proud of him.

Yuyan Archers were all ambidextrous. No one would mind him using either hand in combat. It wouldn’t even break formations.

“Use your left hand for the rest of your set.”

Zuko hesitated.

That… wasn’t allowed, ever. His firebending masters refused to let him lead with his left anymore. It ruined group formations. His writing tutor hit his left hand until he wrote only with his right.

“Did you hear what I said?”

Zuko froze, waiting for a blow. ( ~~Only he got hit. Azula would burn any who tried. Lu Ten would trap them in the ground. Only Zuko froze instead of fighting. Another reason he’s the shame, the dishonor of the Royal Family. His instinct is never to fight.)~~

Piandao frowned at him. At the hesitation. ~~Disobedience is to be punished.~~

“Switch hands,” he repeated, slower and watching Zuko more now.

It was a foreign familiarity. He trained only with his right before—just as Father wanted. But the movements with his sword were strangely easier to learn when he did so with his left, albeit a bit clumsier. ( ~~a Royal should not be so obedient to those of a lower station. But a Master is owed respect, and he’s a student. Azula would know how to turn her obedience into her Masters following her orders. Zuko did not.~~ )

Fat corrected his slower, clumsier forms for the rest of the sets. His footwork was fine.

“A bit light, but it will do,” Fat told him more than once while Lu Ten and Piandao continued to forge their sword inside. Lu Ten’s hammer against the sword wasn’t nearly as loud as Zuko expected.

Zuko’s torso was a bit of a mess at first.

Fat was happy to fix that, with oddly gentle hands that gave no heed to the old decrees. ( ~~To lay hands on one above your station—especially a royal—is a crime punishable by years in prison. To lay hands on a royal without their permission is a death sentence. And Fat never asked.~~ )

Piandao came over later, once the metal was cooling once more. Zuko could sense the oven without looking, could feel the heat of the young chick in the tree about forty paces away, five degrees out of his line of sight. It was nesting, he thinks. (The Voice hasn’t told him why he can sense where people and animals are. The Voice didn’t always answer his questions. Blue Spirit didn’t know either.)

Piandao’s voice broke Zuko out of his thought.

“You will focus on using your left from now on.”

Zuko was quick to nod. He knew better than to question a master; still waiting for the blow. Disobedience was _never_ tolerated by his other masters. The one’s Father chose were fond of striking him with an open palm—to leave no mark behind—rather than give him chores like Mother’s and Firesage Shyu’s masters would give him for disrespect or disobedience.

The inevitable blow never came.

That worried Zuko.

Was he to be punished _worse_ for just hesitating? Was Disobedience truly _that_ offensive to Master Piandao?

Before he retired for the night, Zuko had to ask. Needed to know if worse was to come for his transgressions. “Why didn’t you strike me?”

Piandao furrowed his brow and blinked more than usual.

“Why would I strike you, my prince?”

“I didn’t listen. Disobedience means injury, doesn’t it?”

Piandao didn’t have words for that. It took a while for the master to speak.

“No, my prince,” Piandao was speaking with more purpose than he had before. It was a curious thing to Zuko. “A disobedient student will not be struck. The only time you may be hit, is during a spar when you fail to build an adequate defense or if your strategy fails you.”

Zuko didn’t understand.

It must have shown on his face.

Lu Ten hurried over and brought Zuko to their room for the night with a strange look on his face. Zuko missed Lu Ten’s royal mask falling. Missed wide eyes and Lu Ten mouthing a message to their swordmaster.

_“Please help.”_

Fat and Piandao exchanged a look once the pair were gone.

They had work to do, with un-indoctrinating two Fire princes instead of one. The younger was further along than Lu Ten had been before they got a hold of him.

And Piandao might have to take certain matters into his own hands if a nine year old expects violence for common confusion and slight hesitance. That… that did not bode well for the child’s expectations and understanding of the world.

There was much work to be done.

* * *

Piandao offered to let Zuko observe how one makes a sword up close while Lu Ten was tested once more by Fat. Zuko assumed this was a test. To see how well Zuko kept his focus on the task at hand and kept track of what else is going on behind him. He didn’t mention that he can feel where the two are because he can feel the heat that they both radiate. (Spars are easier to track than where someone is walking. He’s not sure why, but there’s more heat radiating off people. Sometimes he can feel a tangle of threads moving and his head hurts. Even with strange forms now and then if he forgets to put on shoes.)

Zuko was good at watching—at listening. He has plenty of practice with Azula at night. He listens to Mother’s renditions of plays; and when she shows him different herbs and explains that someone should carry on the legacy of knowing herbs too. How each one works alone, which work well with what, and which ones can counteract another’s effects. Which ones to never mix. Even how to determine dosages for different people. It’s why Firelord Azulon has her prepare all his teas and check royal medicine for quality and dosages—she is the Royal Herbalist first, a mother second. Healing is a part of his mother, and a part of him too.

A lot of healing others is listening and watching to figure out what the symptoms are, what ailments these connect to, and what treatments the person may respond well to and which ones to avoid. The Royal Healers may corner the market on diagnosis, but every herbalist must know them by heart.

Zuko is an avid student of many arts. And excels more than not.

But those are not important to the art of strategy, of bloodshed and war. Not in the way a Royal is expected to be knowledgeable. Not in the ways a born Royal Family Member should excel.

Azula is better at excelling where a Royal should. Observing and seizing her moment to strike.

Zuko is better at figuring out how to help someone with a stupid cold or catching when a servant is getting sick. Father **hated** it.

Firelord Azulon said, “ _Prince Zuko could make a half-decent healer_ ” the fifth time Zuko ordered a servant to the medical wing for a formal diagnosis and was right that they were catching something.

Mother said he stopped a spread, that he did good.

Father said he made them short of staff and to ‘not notice in the future.’

Azula told him he did the proper thing to protect the Royal Family against illness, even if it was unnecessary as illness fears them by default.

General Iroh and Lu Ten congratulated him on his progress and skills, loudly reminding Father that healers are of greater use on and off the battlefield by keeping the citizens and soldiers alive and healthy. That Zuko was showing good judgment and foresight befitting a Royal.

Zuko paid close attention to the molten metal handled by Piandao, even with his thoughts churning. He knows metal and lava are both something that bends to no one but the Avatar. A traitor to the Fire Nation who has been missing for over a century since Roku’s death.

But then the mold caught his attention—before the molten metal was poured in. 

Zuko scrutinized it, still listening to Piandao’s lecture on handling the glowing metal and the processes to make it so.

The mold was… off? Zuko could feel something was different about it than the other molds against the wall. It wasn’t hotter—well, hotter than it should be this close to the furnace. more… Something missing?

Before Piandao noticed, Zuko made that gesture Uncle did when talking about earthbenders in battle forcing earth to condense into something small and heavy. Opening his hand and closing it into a tight, crushing fist.

The off feeling was gone when he did. He tried not to think about how the Voice moved in the back of his mind, looking over his work.

**“It seems you’re learning to use the others now.”**

Zuko ignored him. Only the Avatar can bend the other elements, and Zuko isn’t the Avatar. 

The Avatar is a traitor to the Fire Nation.

Zuko is a _loyal child of Agni,_ and would **never** betray Agni’s people, or the nation they built.

The next Avatar is slated for the Southern Water Tribe, born a Waterbender when the Air Nomad inevitably dies in hiding. Or maybe they died young, and were slated for the Earth Kingdom now, and had yet to realize it.

After all, why test the public for a traitor that is all but legend now?

He’ll go back to ignoring that the world feels better barefooted, that sometimes he can sense where the hidden teapot with one of Uncle’s Special Blends are hidden with the tea already made, the heat licking his mind while the pot’s shape is clear in its texture and how it would weigh. That he could feel how much tea was in it, feel it calling him to push and pull like the waves on Ember Island that he could stare at for hours at night while Azula slept on him and Mother spoke with the directors about how to improve their rendition of _Love Amongst the Dragons_. That sometimes he can feel where the wind will blow before it does, and moves out of its path when running about the rooftops at night so everything from the dragon-moose the turtleducks don’t catch his scent and look up, giving away his position.

It doesn’t mean anything.

_It can’t mean anything._

The Voice sighed when Zuko didn’t respond and went back to whatever Voice does when Zuko won’t engage with them. He doesn’t know, and doubts Voice will tell him.

Voice doesn’t tell him a lot these days besides things that have to be lies.

Father doesn’t hate him.

Why else would he spend so much time telling Zuko to improve? To find him bending masters who are willing to tolerate him and his difficulty untraining the Air out of his bending?

Father does love him. He knows it. He just has to earn Father showing it, that’s all.

* * *

Piandao **_saw_**.

He saw the Fire Prince, a _Firebender_ , try to hide that he held a hand out near the mold, made a fist, and held it. He saw the mold he was about to switch out—due to cracking while the furnace was getting started to the right temperature to get the metal _right_ where he wanted it, but still needed a long time to finish heating properly. He saw the imperfections in the mold and knew the trouble it would cause.

He was about to switch the broken mold—small cracks that would expand with the heat.

But he saw it shrink about a centimeter on all sides. The mold was a bit smaller. He could feel it was a bit denser, but weighed no more than before. The mold hole itself kept the same size and shape.

He saw the molten steel bend to the young prince’s will when he poured it in. Just enough of a different settlement than gravity intended to make the crack in the mold irrelevant. For the purpose of holding the molten metal, that is.

The _Fire Prince_ that _firebends_ may have **bent cold stone**.

Perhaps it was a trick of his mind. (He’d consult with Fat later, to ensure he wasn’t imagining it.)

Then the sword was taken out and the grain was wrong. Enough for Piandao to check the mold afterwards with Fat and feel how the earth’s grain had shifted, and be uncertain which of his students did it. Fat didn’t believe it was Lu Ten. He’s a talented earthbender, yes, but not good enough to bend at will from a distance while sparring Fat.

Fat confirming the mold being smaller and a bit denser did not help ease Piando’s growing concerns.

The youngest prince _did_ make a fist. (He tried to hide it too.)

Piandao saw it.

Was the youngest prince an earthbender? Was this some side effect of being spirit touched—perhaps the boy was born with earth like Lu Ten. The boy had been blessed with fire by Agni after being born without it… Maybe he was the first to bend two elements and his father didn’t sense Fire in him at birth because he was of the Three Mountains by his mother, as Prince Lu Ten was.

Having two forms of bending warring in a body could explain why the boy’s fire-bending was notoriously strange and weakened compared to the Royal Family. The style is inconsistent with earthbending though. If the youngest prince is left alone, he becomes lighter on his feet, moves swifter and in strange circle patterns unlike anything Piandao has seen. It almost looks like what a few scrolls described airbending as. If earth is the true element of both princes, why does the youngest move this way? And only when he thinks no one is watching?

And then again, there’s only one legend that can bend multiple elements and that’s— not possible. ( ~~The avatar must have been killed while just entering the Avatar state for the first time and the cycle was broken.~~ )

He couldn’t tell if it was the Prince’s true bending—his sister was gifted lightning by Agni, and there were tales of past fire benders forcing lava back… (However those were _always Avatars_. And each Avatar was proficient in their native element. ~~Prince Zuko was notoriously incompetent with fire.~~ )

The Avatar had been missing for one hundred years. Even the White Lotus couldn’t find a trace of them. ( ~~The World Spirit was killed early in the avatar state. The Fire Nation soldier probably didn’t realize it, or died too. That’s why the Avatar’s death was never formally reported. Why none of the Southern Raids turned up any viable Avatar candidates.)~~

Unless…

Piandao told Zuko he expects _both_ his students to return in two weeks’ time. To bring a sword of his choice and to dedicate himself to learning the ways of the sword under Piandao when in Shu Jing.

Lu Ten hugged Zuko first, with a wide grin. Telling the boy that now they can learn _together_ with bright excitement. Piandao did not miss the young boy’s shock or confusion, the mixed gaze and frown in his forehead, not on his mouth. That was pressed into a straight line before the boy bowed (farther than a royal should to any but their parents or the Firelord. That was… concerning) to Piandao. 

He did not miss that after that, it took a moment for Prince Zuko to return Prince Lu Ten’s hug with twice as much enthusiasm once he thought Piandao wasn’t looking.

Piandao chose to take his time in assessing the young prince, ~~perhaps the missing Avatar~~. After all, the Firesage whose father was loyal to the Avatar (declared them alive and well) was the one to declare the boy blessed by Agni. Perhaps this was part of some greater Spirit scheme.

Perhaps the Avatar spirit needed time away from the physical world after the loss of the Air Nomads—Piandao would not pretend that their scattered descendants were true Air Nomads. The Chi-blockers did not count—the air never moved with them, and they had been part of the Fire Nation for centuries before Sozin. The scattered children descended from Air Nomads had their connection to the other three elements far outweigh any connection to Air for almost a century now. And the Avatar Spirit must have forgotten their duty to the physical world and their sense of time while grieving this loss.

Losing an entire civilization through rage and bloodshed was not something Piandao expected any to fully recover from. Why should the World Spirit be any different when they walked among humans more often than not? 

Perhaps the World Spirit did not bless Prince Zuko, but switched places with the infant, or even shared a body with him… Possession was a well recorded phenomenon within the Fire Nation Royal family—granted, it was by Agni as part of a pact. But occasions when other spirits had done so _did_ exist, and the results were quite varied.

He would need to spend more time with the child to learn what happened and how to proceed. ~~Was the Avatar finally back? Could he get both his students out from under the Royal Family’s thumb? Could his students be the hope that was missing from the world for so long?~~

And that meant keeping the Order out of the loop until he was certain. Until he saw two elements bend to the boy’s will and was certain it was Prince Zuko, he would not let the others know of his suspicions. It would not bode well to give false hope. And perhaps the boy took after his mother as Lu Ten had… Perhaps the non-bending mother had some distant connection to Earth—he’d need to look into it with the utmost discrepancy. Perhaps the boy was merely an earthbender given a second element… ~~the first to hold only two elements successfully in all of recorded history.~~ Or maybe he had spirits watching over him that were benders themselves and amused themselves this way.

Piandao was not one for false hope.

He could not ignore any possibility ( ~~no matter how absurd~~ ).

* * *

Lu Ten is glad to get Zuko away from Caldera. Shu Jing is a nice change of pace for both of them. And if he doesn’t have to wonder where the hell his little cousin is at night anymore—Zuko not being in his room and Lu Ten can’t get somewhere he can run around barefoot without alerting everyone to the disappearance to _try_ to get an idea of where a small set of feet are (as Azula is usually not far behind)—well. That’s just a bonus. 

And if that question from the night before _“Why didn’t you strike me?”_ was any indicator, it was better to keep his baby cousin away from Caldera as much as he can. Figuring out how to get Azula out of Caldera was added to his growing to-do list. Between learning more about the White Lotus and listening to Piandao’s teachings behind closed doors. Fat was good at distracting Zuko with lessons on cooking or taking him out to the weapon shop and practicing identifying pros and cons of different weapons for when Lu Ten and Piandao had _those_ lessons. 

Trying to determine how to convince his Father and Grandfather that the war was wrong was a tricky endeavor he’d tackle once he had a better grasp on politics. He wasn’t an idiot. He knows his grasp on Fire Nation politics is weak at best, and that his grandfather is waiting for Father to pick another wife and have another child.

An earthbender should never sit on the Firelord’s throne.

An earthbender can and will be the one to take the other heirs away from his distant Uncle’s reach. An earthbender would be the one to save the Fire Nation. And an earthbender was the one who made sure the two didn’t fall for his Uncle’s manipulations.

Lu Ten doesn’t expect to live long enough to become Firelord. He’s no idiot. There have been assassins after him since his earthbending surfaced. And he knows his Uncle has “forgotten” to have guards watching areas Lu Ten favors.

The fact that this ceased only when Zuko began giving Lu Ten near nightly heart attacks by no longer touching the ground (where is he climbing and how high up is he going? Who’s watching the boy? He’s little, he needs someone looking out for him, why are all the adults around Lu Ten in Caldera so useless?). Or that the guards and servants are known to love their youngest prince’s orders of “go to the infirmary right now!” on days they weren’t feeling the best. And if said guards happened to take a liking to his little cousin, and listen when he mentions there being so few people around Lu Ten a little too loudly, well.

Lu Ten isn’t entirely sure if Zuko is learning to be a master tactician or is genuinely that concerned. Given that Zuko can’t lie for the life of him and flubs his attempts at court, Lu Ten is inclined to the latter over the former most days. On days Azula is flanking his side and adding her own input, he’s convinced the former is beginning to emerge. Though in which baby cousin is the question.

Lu Ten does enjoy being around Azula. She soaks up positive attention like a sponge. She’s almost as bad as Zuko in those moments. Both of them can easily become putty in the wrong court member’s hands. Lu Ten is more than happy to butt in when their sort show up around the two and whisk them away for play time and family bonding under the guise of training.

He knows Azula hates playing music but loves it at festivals when he steals the pair away. Zuko adores fire flakes burnt by Azula’s hand, and she’s happy to provide. Zuko likes to win festival games—no matter how rigged, he finds an (often unorthodox) way to win while Azula wins a prize for herself. She will accept any prize but dolls. Those will be set on fire. Zuko gets excited if he gets wooden figurines… which Azula will give him when she wins those, in exchange for one of Zuko’s stuffed animals.

He knows Zuko hates his firebending and wants to make it “right” but Lu Ten is the first to say that as long as you’re bending your element and it works, its right. Azula vehemently disagrees with him on this point, but the fact that she’s a bending prodigy colors her stance on matter too much.

Her difficulty with shaping flames into a small theatre to act out plays the same way Zuko can, and her refusal to stop mastering this art regardless of her lack of talent for it is all the proof Lu Tne needed to know Azula wants to master fire in all its forms and applications. Zuko’s ease with non-combative firebending—cooking, flame maintenance, stage fire, even sensing where living beings are when he wasn’t actively trying to bend—are all signs that Zuko is a bending prodigy too. Just not one that a war-time Fire Nation will praise like they do Azula.

The fact Zuko and Azula go off together at night to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what and come back uninjured is a relief and stressor for Lu Ten. No one but him seems to realize this is happening. Good for his little cousins, bad for his blood pressure. Keeping Zuko from instigating these disappearing acts, and highlighting his cousin’s talent for non-bending arts? Lu Ten was all over that.

Now he knows his little cousin gets hit by his teachers—maybe just his bending masters but it doesn’t feel right given what he knows about Uncle Ozai. So he can’t do anything but assume little LaLa has the same problem. So he needs to formulate a plan to get both of them out of Caldera…

On top of ending the war.

And Fire Nation propaganda.

And so many other things.

He’s not even an adult yet. He should not be stuck shouldering the weight of two children’s safety and wellbeing, his nation’s war crimes, and its obvious (in hindsight) propaganda that perpetuates the war.

Yet he’s clearly the only one in any position to do any of those things.

At least Piandao and Fat agreed to help with Zuko.

Now Lu Ten had another round of assassins to dodge when he gets home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you all enjoyed this bit. Next chapter is in stage one of editing (re, round one of 3-5 editing and rewriting bouts) so it should take a bit.


	4. Dangerous Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our trio each realize something that is Not Fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot has crept in at last

Piandao kept a close eye on Zuko’s progress, instructing him personally more often than not. Even when Piandao allowed others under his tutelage, it was no secret that he kept the closest eye on the youngest prince.

“Remember Prince Zuko, your sword is an extension of your body.”

Over the course of a few weeks, Piandao was glad to report the young Prince was one of his most… curious students.

“But which part of my body, and how?” the nine year old asked one day.

Piandao paused, then repeated, “Which part, and how.”

“Well, yeah.” The youngest prince shifted. “A guandao is used to defend with the staff part between your hands, and attack with the blade, so it’s your forearm and a really long nail. The ji is a long weapon used to kill and should only be used as a last resort by benders, while non-benders are expected to carry one for all long term missions and to hold formation in most regions, so it’s like a Kimodo-Rhino’s horn. A spear can be used to block, intimidate or to attack but it’s mostly a staff with a knife at the end so it’s more a one-toed sloth-snail’s really long toe. A bow is your depth perception and the arrow is your weapon. Throwing knives are well, I’m not sure what they are but Mai likes them and stilettos, so… what part is a sword?”

Piandao nodded along before stating the obvious. “An extra-long, really sharp arm.”

Prince Zuko nodded before returning to his forms.

Fat knocked down another ‘student try-hard’ who had refused to tell Piandao anything beyond him having ‘earned’ Piandao’s lessons.

Zuko practicing the tsungi horn and flute to give his opinion on different moves taken in battle was one of Piandao’s more… interesting ‘I deserve to be your student’ types repellants. And an oddly effective one.

A few low notes when one falls flat on their face or a sliding flute’s use when the young prince predicted a slip in battle was quite the blow to many young adults and teenage boys egos.

If Piandao and Fat shared smiles over the fact they broke not one, but two princes out of their shells, well, that was their own amusement.

When Prince Zuko showed a knack for somehow having his movements be incredibly sloppy, yet still garner some of the most careful lettering Piandao had seen from a beginner, he began a small investigation of his own.

Lu Ten was a dead end. And Piandao preferred avoiding contact with the adults of the royal family. He had no desire to get caught up in their drama. And doubted any would be of use.

So Piandao decided to watch over Zuko’s movements from a distance. By which he means using the trick ceiling flap no one ever noticed. And with a telescope. Catching the ink moving strangely was yet another element—either earth or water or perhaps even both—that the youngest prince was able to bend. And this time, he saw proof of it being the Prince’s doing alone. And without being entirely aware of it himself.

Perhaps this was for the better. Avatars were not told of this until they were sixteen for a reason. It kept them safe from vulture-hawks for one thing, though that was not a protection Prince Zuko truly had in either case. For another, it allowed them to focus on one element to master, and to later be mature enough to continue re-learning the elements in order. It also prevented a bloated ego from being the Avatar at a young age… or so he read in the archives. Yet another issue he doubts the youngest prince would fall into.

And the world does not have time to allow the Prince to grow peacefully during a war.

It would need an avatar, and perhaps this time, the elements could be persuaded to be learned backwards.

Piandao decided it was a good idea to mention to his own acolyte, Lu Ten, that showing his cousin some earthbending basics might help him ground his own firebending in the style favored by the army and Prince Ozai.

Lu Ten was more than happy to offer his help with this particular endeavor.

* * *

Lu Ten is _technically_ an earthbender. **Technically.** In practice, he has no clue how he bends. He just sort of, does.

Dad was better at this sort of thing. Teaching. Explaining.

Lu Ten is good at learning how to _do_ the thing. Not at explaining. Or talking about ‘how he came to a conclusion’ and stuff like that. Look, there’s a reason he knows he’s bad a Court, and only half of it is being an Earthbending Fire Royal.

No matter how many times someone tells him how to use his chi to bend, it doesn’t work. He _can_ bend, just; not the way the benders he’s spoken to about bending do. For them, it’s an attitude thing, something you just _have_ and _are_ and _will_ into getting your element to do what you want.

Lu Ten… doesn’t.

Earth says ‘screw you’ and he gets annoyed into making it work with him. He’s not dumb, his earthbending is shit. He _likes_ swords for a reason. Those always listen, are predictable and versatile and he can do a lot with them.

Heck, he bends using his swords sometimes. It’s the most consistent his bending can get—sword in hand, he can strike in any direction and the earth just, listens. Fire is all about _will_ and _power_ and _will power_ … he thinks? He tends to ignore instructors ( _firebending instructors_ ) when they ramble like that. He can’t even focus when Dad talks about it.

Its not his fault shoes are just plain in the way of him sensing _so damn much_ going on everywhere and it’s distracting! But _all_ bending training is a no-shoes event. So Lu Ten is very distracted during those.

Plus, they never teach him how to use _his own element._ It’s all about ‘Fire this’ and ‘Fire Style’ that and—‘silly colony tricks’—for anything remotely helpful. Downside of being an earthbending Fire Royal—besides the assassination attempts—is never being allowed to leave the Fire Nation Islands. He’s not joking—Dad only gets to leave so often because he’s a general who fights on the front lines, (to everyone’s eternal horror, amusement, or annoyance). Lu Ten hasn’t even _met_ another earthbender because its _Caldera_ and only firebenders and non-benders from the colonies are allowed to visit. So low-actual experience with learning earthbending, no idea how to explain it, and his earthbending being a constant guessing game when he doesn’t have his sword in hand.

And now? That’s all he has to go on. Show Zuko the ‘crossover’ between fire and earth’s bending to help ‘tether’ his little cousin in his element.

Is Lu Ten missing something? KoKo is a great bender, he can even keep up with Lu Ten and LaLa when Lu Ten gives up on the pretense of playing with them because _baby cousin can not kick his ass in public_. It’s a family honor thing, okay? (Yes, honor is still a thing even if he’s an earthbender. He’s been raised by firebenders in the Fire Nation, what was anyone expecting?)

So. Teaching KoKo how to… do the bending and movements.

And explain why you do the thing.

His mortal enemy.

Could he not?

Maybe? He’s not sure.

Would it mess up little KoKo who thrives on explanations and reason and knowing why you do the thing that way and not another way? Yep.

And Uncle Ozai has done enough of that to him already. For more than a few lifetimes worth of issues. Maybe like, eight lifetimes… two full rotations of the Avatar Cycle? That… probably sounds right if you use the simplified ‘elemental nation only’ cycle.

He refuses to deal with the utter insanity that is the ‘complete compounding’ Avatar Cycle. Four different Air temples (East to North to West to South), all _three_ Water Tribes (Central/“Swamp” to North to South), the chaos that is the Earth Kingdom system (Geomancy. Lu Ten doesn’t want to touch it) and the Fire Nation Island cycle (very predictable, nearest island to the last fire avatar’s birth island). As any SANE person can see, there should not be this many factors into deciding a “complete” Avatar Cycle.

Don’t get him started on the traveling avatars.

Just.

Don’t.

…should Lu Ten be ranting to himself about the Avatar Cycle insanity—especially when that era is gone since the Avatar hasn’t been heard from since Roku died and is probably dead too—or should he focus on his lesson plan attempt and making a list of reasons to have answers for KoKo’s questions…

He’s going to rant about the Avatar Cycle definitions and limitations arguments among the White Lotus scholars. He’s got to figure it out at some point anyways… and this makes it easier on his brain.

Procrastination only counts if it’s not productive for something else, right?

* * *

Zuko can’t help but stare at Lu Ten when they have a ‘bending style’ lesson. He doesn’t get what Lu Ten could be teaching him—Earth and Fire are completely different. Fire has to be made from your own chi, while the other elements pull on chi from their element and mix their chi into it to bend. At least that’s what Firesage Shyu says.

Zuko isn’t supposed to see him much anymore. _Father doesn’t like him._

Firelord Azulon **approved** this though—in one of the family audiences between both branches. Zuko was sitting between Lu Ten and Azula in the kids row. He sat in front of Mom. Azula was in front of Father, and Lu Ten was in front of General Iroh. They were telling him about what they had each been up too—Azula showed off her own bending, Lu Ten offered a sword he’d made recently for inspection and Zuko was allowed to show off his progress under Piandao before Mom asked him to help her measure the amounts of each herb to make Firelord Azulon’s tea. Father and General Iroh were discussing their own progress and military preparations then—General Iroh was discussing his future siege on Ba Sing Se and Father was talking about policies and budgets and supplies.

Zuko tried to follow along but he needed precise measures for the blend to mask the awful taste of the healing herbs mother was mixing in. And he was her heat source, so he needed absolute focus and concentration to not overheat any of the leaves.

Mother served the Firelord while Father and Uncle Iroh argued over supply chains and troop allotments. Azula was keeping up—she probably knew more than Zuko at this point—while Lu Ten looked more lost than Zuko was when he finally sat back down.

When the Firelord said the family audience was over, Zuko followed Mom out like always. Only he and Lu Ten were called back in. Father wasn’t pleased ~~he never is~~ but mother smiled at him and gestured for him to go back.

Firelord Azulon ordered Zuko to learn directly from Lu Ten’s bending and report back his ‘findings’ in the similarities between different element’s bending as well as possible weaknesses in earthbending that can be exploited.

Zuko was glad he’s trusted (again) but… but what overlap can fire have with earth, and how can Zuko judge it when he doesn’t even bend fire right? How was he to see earth’s limits and new points of exploitation that they didn’t already know about—earthbenders can’t bend metal. They can create ‘liquid’ earth to trap opponents, but Zuko thinks it’s not _really_ liquid. Has to be something else. But he doesn’t think he’d seen anyone do it before, so he can’t be sure.

Lu Ten was… jittery when he arrived.

“Hey KoKo, so, um, ready for our first lesson?”

Zuko nodded slowly, still skeptical but eager all the same.

“Cool, cool. So. Um. First, uh, Differences? Differences, that’s a umm… good place to start.”

Zuko was beginning to understand Cousin Lu Ten’s need to be at a school, and not privately tutored. He’d humiliate the royal family by acting like this in front of their servants. But in a school? He can just let others do the talking and take notes. Ty Lee said it’s easier for her to learn that way.

“So, Firebending… you, um…”

Zuko took a deep breath. “Firebending comes from Agni’s gift to humans, their soul. It separates humans—who have souls—from spirits—who do not have souls. Firebending is taking in chi from your breath, moving it from your lungs to one of your chi pools. From there, you mix the chi and push and pull a portion out until you are bending.”

Lu Ten stared at him.

“Uh, Cousin Lu Ten?”

“Wow. Um, keep reviewing.”

Zuko blinked as… why doesn’t Lu Ten just… never mind.

“Firebending is the only bending that comes in stages as well. First stage is sensing and manipulating heat at some level. From there, as children you are tested to see if you stop at the second stage—producing more heat—or continue to the third—sparking. If you can manipulate fire, you go on to a firebending master. If you can’t manipulate fire, you are later sent to learn a trade where ‘heatbending’ is useful, like smithing, welding or cooking. After fire manipulating, then you can spark and after sparking you learn to produce proper fire and how to wield it.”

Zuko wondered if he explained it right.

Lu Ten nodded along though, so… good?

“KoKo, that’s right! Now, with earthbending we um, well, I don’t know how it works really, I just sort of do it,” Lu Ten admitted. “But it’s easier without shoes.”

**“Connecting to your element directly strengthens your bending,”** Voice explained.

Zuko was silently glad he was present.

“Now, with earthbending you **need** to have an attitude, to tell it who’s in charge.”

Zuko wasn’t thinking when the words fell out. “Is that why you need to be worried or holding your sword to bend?”

Lu Ten blinked. “I, well, I never thought of it that way… but yeah. We both know I’m not the best at ordering people around.”

Zuko remembered then that he rarely saw anyone in the palace look **at** Lu Ten or really listen to him. He doesn’t know everything about politics and stuff (that’s Azula’s job) but he does know that all Royals are to be listened to. Even Mom; who only married in.

Lu Ten is bad at telling people what to do because no one listens **to** him. They ask Uncle, or Azula, or even Zuko first.

**“That would be because he is a ‘dirt bender’ Human, or did you forget what your father calls them again?”**

Zuko twitched at Voice’s interruption.

He doesn’t like it.

“Hey Lu Ten? Why don’t you practice ‘having an attitude’ with me? Firebending is all about self discipline to work your flame to your will, and I think I need help with that.”

* * *

Lu Ten wasn’t sure whether to scream and shout in joy or frustration at that comment. KoKo is very good at listening to others’ direct words; he just misses every _indirect_ word. Lu Ten can’t really complain though, he’s the same way. Subtly and earth don’t mix.

KoKo is so… earthbender. Sometimes it makes his heart hurt. Lu Ten (sometimes) wonders if they weren’t in a war, and if bending wasn’t determined by your nation or family line, if Zuko would have been an earthbender too. He tries not to think about it too much—it’s impossible and the world doesn’t work like that. If it did, then Ty Lee would be an air bender, not a ‘lowly’ chi blocker.

LaLa is all fire—strong headed, calculating and indirectly direct. You could feel her presence and it permeates everything if she wanted. It was inescapable when she wanted… and other times you just _knew_ she was hiding.

But right now KoKo was asking for Lu Ten’s help with discipline… when Lu Ten is well aware that they have two very different understandings of the word. There is a reason Lu Ten tries to sit in on Zuko’s lessons whenever he can during breaks. The tutors know better than to harm a Royal Family Member in the presence of someone the Crown Prince trusts above everyone else. Perks to being the only child of the Crown Prince: no one will ever do what they would behind closed doors around you.

“I… appreciate the offer, but I don’t think _that_ kind of attitude is a good thing.”

Zuko tilted his head to the side and. Dear Agni. Confused turtleduck eyes ahoy. “But you need to practice having an attitude, and no one would say anything if you were ordering me around. I’m a _second_ apprentice **and** your little cousin.”

“I,” Lu Ten wasn’t sure what else to say. That his cousin being hit is a bad thing? That he knows Uncle Ozai tried to kill Zuko as a newborn and has been passively trying to let Lu Ten die since he was born? Or that his mother’s death was from drinking a ‘special’ blend of tea meant for him labeled from Dad that Mom drank without letting the taste tester check for tampering was highly suspicious?

Too much to unload on a nine year old.

“You can act like Azula if it helps. She’s good at ordering people around.”

Lu Ten took a moment to process that. LaLa has a violent streak—no denying that. She also took it out on objects, rather than living things. Unless you were a plant in Aunt Ursa’s sight that she called pretty. Never let it be said that LaLa isn’t petty and looking for attention.

And KoKo sees her as ‘good’ at ordering people around…

“You don’t have to be mean or anything. LaLa’s bad at not acting like Father, but she’s really good at being firm and assertive. I think maybe that’s what the ‘attitude’ is supposed to be, maybe? Kind of like will, but you need to have the right kind of will. If that makes sense.”

“… how much bending theory do you study?” because KoKo knows a ridiculous amount.

“ _Sun Warrior Swear_ not to tell anyone?” KoKo whispered.

Lu Ten leaned in. “Sun Warrior Swear.”

KoKo took a deep breath. “Firesage Shyu lets me read whatever scrolls I want, and Gran—Firelord Azulon,” Koko corrected, “lets him hold whatever bending scrolls he wants.”

Lu Ten blanked. Firelord Azulon was letting Zuko study bending however he wanted…

“Does Uncle Ozai know?”

KoKo shook his head. “Firelord Azulon said I can continue studying bending in depth though, as long as I can show it’s effective. Father wants me to bend more traditionally but…”

Lu Ten almost slapped his palm to his temples. _Of course_ Uncle Ozai isn’t privy to this. _Of course_ Grandfather is letting KoKo bend as he pleases—Zuko won’t be a Crown Royal. Lu Ten’s ‘imaginary future half-sibling’ or Azula will take that role. No one thinks KoKo can handle the role with his… complete lack of tact.

And really, what better way to increase your small army’s bending abilities than use one of the Spare Heirs with a penchant for being overly honest as your researcher and tester? And how better to observe these method’s impacts than to watch it unfold yourself? Did he mention his Grandfather is sick in his soul? He is.

“But nothing,” Lu Ten soothed. “Your bending is really amazing when you aren’t listening to your Father, you know.”

Zuko shifted a bit on his feet. “Thank you.”

Lu Ten nodded. “So, now that we did that, how about I show you stances and you guess why they work?”

The way KoKo lit up reminded Lu Ten _exactly_ why he may be a stressed 17 year old, but he can make a big difference by doing little things. Letting KoKo guess why Lu Ten feels more comfortable in contact with the ground (“Maybe you can feel where people are like I can sense them? Or it just feels better being connected to your element that way?”) to overlap between his swordsmanship and his bending. (“You like always having one foot on the ground, and look steady on your feet with the rest of you ready to move. You like to wait for an attack and respond later, kind of like when I bend my way. I think it’s called neutral jing or defensive jing? I can ask to read the specified 25 jings treatises again, but there are a lot of those and I need to take better notes, and I think I may be mixing them up with the 85 jings of 4th Earth Queen Fere…”)

Did he mention KoKo is an absolute turtleduck lately? Yes, he can very well be a tigerdillo cub and will probably end up as LaLa’s right hand—it’s not even a question at this point. LaLa could ask him to throw fire at someone and chances are, KoKo would ask ‘ _who_ ’ before even thinking ‘ _why_ ’ with how close those two are…

Maybe he should get LaLa into weapons training, or let her sit in on their practice sessions at home. She’d like being able to knock someone out with tools, besides firebending. He’d suggest studying herbalism like KoKo, but that would mean getting Aunt Ursa to, well… _Not_ make LaLa act like an innocent turtleduck when she’s a swangoose to be loved, feared and respected. In that order. Still able to be given pets if they allow it, but ONLY if they ask for it first.

And LaLa does ask. A lot.

Aunt Ursa is just horrendous at reading LaLa.

Maybe he can see if her friends want to teach her anything? There’s the Chi-blocker (he’s not sure how LaLa is besties _with a spiritualist_ but he’s not going to poke a sleeping lion-bear) or the throwing knives girl who stares at KoKo a lot. The real question is will she listen to someone else that _isn’t_ older than her to learn…

He wondered if there was a way to petition Wan Shi Tong’s knowledge seekers into finding out for him. He’d rather not go near a tigerdillo’s soft underbelly if I meant angering said tigerdillo cub.

* * *

Zuko knew LaLa was going with him on patrol tonight. But this time, he sort of felt Voice not _forcing_ him but _encouraging_ him to go not just outside the palace, but outside of Caldera for the night.

He wasn’t sure _why_ but Blue was watching him intently. Waiting for Zuko’s decision.

Zuko gave in.

“ _Show yourself to her and watch out for her, please._ ” Zuko signed.

Blue nodded.

Zuko let himself be pulled farther and farther from home. Until he was past the forests and on the volcano’s side. Not mountain—the Capitol Island was always an active volcano. It’s why the capitol island had changed so many times over the span of the Fire Nation’s history.

Zuko could feel Voice pushing him to do _something_ but Voice wasn’t speaking. Just. Waiting for him to figure it out.

It would be a bad idea to bend. The light would show. Maybe he could just… do _his_ katas cold and practice the moves Lu Ten did?

Right.

… he’d try Lu Ten’s before he did _his_ katas. The ones he and Firesage Shyu came up with. Not Father’s bending.

Grandfather showed interest in _Zuko’s_ bending. He wouldn’t betray that trust.

Father didn’t want Zuko to embarrass him, but what greater dishonor is there than the Firelord’s disappointment?

Zuko kept his breathing even, and recited the notes he made from Lu Ten’s “lesson” yesterday. Keep your feet connected and firm to the ground. Steady. Do not expect the ground to move just because you want it to, you must will it with intent and persistence. Carry that in each move.

Patience and persistence is key.

Zuko kept his movements purposeful, and made sure to keep his chi from flowing out his arms or sparking from his mouth. Again.

He didn’t pay attention to the chi fleeing out of his feet though. He rarely bent from them, so why should he notice?

He remembered Lu Ten mentioning the force as ‘through a wall’ for his movements. Zuko kept practicing the punches and kicks like that. _Like if you don’t move with your all, you won’t make it. But you know you can do it._

Zuko centered his chi with an exhale. Like meditation. He could sense where things were again. It didn’t make sense—usually his shoes stopped him from doing that… maybe he needed thicker soles. Or new shoes.

One more set, and then he’d go back to LaLa.

He opened his eyes and went through the thrusts, jabs, and kicks.

He didn’t see a hunk of crystal jump up to meet his movements. He _did_ hear a piece of something solid the size of his head hit the mountainside.

He froze.

“Voice.” Zuko’s voice was strained. “What just.”

**“I told you your job was to protect the humans from spirits, Human. _What_ did you think I meant?”**

Ice in his veins would have been less of a shock.

“But.”

Memories of an old story Vaatu used to tell him on repeat flung themselves to the forefront of his mind. “ _There is one person who is meant to keep both the spirit world and human world safe. They are the Avatar—the human Wan’s soul merged with Raava’s spirit. Raava bound the four elements to the human’s soul. In return for this power, each of Wan’s future lives was to be dedicated to maintaining the order that Raava embodied—for both the spirits and humans. As make no mistake, a human knows to fear spirits. A spirit will forget they are at the mercy of humans too.”_

He—that’s impossible. _The Avatar is Southern Water Tribe if they weren’t killed for good._ Zuko is _Fire Nation Royalty._ They couldn’t be further apart on the cycle.

It’s not possible.

The Avatar can’t be in the Fire Nation. ~~He can’t be a traitor to his people.~~

Voice seemed to sense his distress, pushing gently to the fore of Zuko’s mind. **“You are not the same as the one lost. You are of the elements from before the Great Spirits.”**

“I don’t understand.”

Zuko was scared. None of this made sense. _None of these things were making sense and he’s the one that likes making things make sense._ things have a reason or emotion or both, and that can be understood.

That… thing that just happened?

Can’t be.

**“You don’t need to yet.”** Voice tried to soothe. **“But you must keep practicing.”**

Zuko nodded numbly. He really _could_ bend earth.

Things… started to fall into place. The wind with the window closed. Always knowing how full the teapot was. Why he could sense better than everyone else. _Why he did not rise and fall with Agni._

Agni didn’t choose him.

**Agni didn’t choose him.**

~~He’s really the first Royal to be reject by Agni. The family shame. _Agni must hate him._~~

Zuko ran back home.

He tried to keep his fear from LaLa.

“So, see anything interesting while you were gone?” she asked while inspecting her nails on the roof.

Zuko swallowed hard. “Yeah, but. I don’t think it’s something I should have.”

LaLa turned to him, eyes narrowed. Calculating.

“I. It’s not. I can’t.” His heart was trying to run away from him.

Azula leaned back then, a small frown on her face. “Okay.”

She moved too fast when she was getting up.

One of the shingles slipped.

So did Azula.

* * *

Azula wants to go on record that she is, in fact, smarter than Dum-Dum for many reasons. One of which is the fact that if she was the Avatar, she wouldn’t be dumb enough to get caught practicing.

Catching him earthbend and then whisper-yell (out loud like the Dum-Dum he is) at his Voice to “stop telling the other spirits to do this!”

Azula was mad. Not at Dum-Dum—he’s clearly too dense to see the writing on the wall. He either is the Avatar, or Voice is the traitor trapped in Zuko’s body. And Zuko is effectively the Avatar.

Agni made her brother the Spirits-Damned Avatar.

Or the spirits were lying to him.

Either or.

So she did what any good and loyal member of the Royal Family would do: test him for herself. See where his loyalties lie. (With her. He always chooses her over everyone else.)

_Zuko lunged. He grabbed her in the air and pulled her front to his. He wrapped his arms around her too tight and hit the ground first, rolling them over quickly._

_He could have broken his shoulder. Mother said those **never** heal right._

_He could have exposed them with the light nearby. (He didn’t.)_

_“Are you alright?”_

_Azula stared at Zuko. No. Dum-Dum._

_He’s so dumb._

_The Avatar is so, so dumb._

_“I’m fine Dum-Dum. Now let me check your back.”_

_But he’s hers. And he knows above all else, he is **hers.** He’s too dumb to betray the Fire Nation. He’s too dumb to think about keeping his own secret. He’s so dumb, he can’t even learn the elements in the right order. But that’s fine._

_She’ll keep her Dum-Dum safe._

_**“He’s dangerous. You know that now. He must be destroyed.”**_

**** _Azula was used to ignoring her Voice now. Her Dum-Dum helped her be stronger than that. Voice doesn’t like him because she doesn’t need Voice; Voice needs her._

_“He’s **mine.** And he’s going to do what that coward couldn’t: bring the world to its rightful order. Who better to act as my enforcer than the World Spirit themself?”_

**“He is a false Avatar.”**

_Azula didn’t care what a ‘false Avatar’ was. If you could bend more than one element, what else were you than the Avatar? Voice was lying, or her brother was so loved by those stupid spirits that they made him into a new Avatar._

_She wouldn’t be surprised. Everyone loves Zuko more than her._

_Except Zuko._

_He loves her above everyone else._

_She can’t help but grin at that fact._

Dum-Dum passed.

Azula will keep her brother safe from anyone who tries to hurt him. She’ll even teach him how to cover his tracks better and lie—no, act. He can’t lie directly, but he can act. She’s seen him tell stories over the years and change his voice, move differently. He can _act_ like another person.

She just needs to teach him how to _pretend_ to be Just A Firebender until the time is right.

* * *

Lu Ten wasn’t sure what was going on. Yes, he is almost 17. Yes, there _is_ the compulsory one year of service in action he needs to go through. But, in case anyone has forgotten, royal heirs are allowed to delay it indefinitely. Case and point, his pro-child murder Uncle.

Given that Lu Ten is acknowledged as Zuko’s unofficial sword instructor and “traditional” firebending tutor, you would think people would let him help out his family. Wait on this tradition. You know, seeing as no one _ever_ bothered Uncle Ozai about not doing **his** yet. You know, the married man with a two equally terrifying ( ~~in different ways~~ ) children.

But _no_.

Instead when his father mentions seizing Ba Sing Se at long last, fulfilling the vision Agni gave him as child. Which… Lu Ten is very doubtful Agni endorsed given him being an earthbender. He starts bringing it up _a lot_ around Lu Ten, with that Scheming Smile that Lu Ten was growing increasingly uncomfortable with.

Then it was brought up in Lu Ten first ever war meeting. He didn’t even want to go, but Firelord Azulon invited him. And one does not turn down the ‘Voice of Agni.’

Now Lu Ten knows he’s a Court Lurker, and for a good reason; he’s bad at persuading but good at informing and keeping tabs. He’s… working on it, okay? Maybe at some point he can bring up the captured Water Bender Camps being… not so good.

The brainwashing was (thank the spirits) not working, the benders were still being born and while they weren’t rebelling, it wasn’t ideal. If Firelord Azulon wanted waterbending healers, he needed trained waterbenders who were taught how to use healing and a way to detect it. To Lu Ten’s understanding, the art of healing by waterbending had a lot of chi pathways involved, and with no dummy, even if they knew how to teach it, they couldn’t. He doubted they wanted to.

Then his Grandfather turned to Lu Ten, who was merely listening to various ways they _might_ lay siege to a self-sufficient city with three of walls, when the Firelord turned to him.

“And what do you think, Prince Lu Ten?”

Lu Ten wanted to die. Right then and there as ‘I have no opinion’ was not an option.

“Given that the capitol of the Earth Kingdom was made by earthbenders, it’d be pretty difficult to take the city without any of our own.” He hoped that was neutral enough.

“Very true.” His dad stroked his beard. “Perhaps that _colony_ battalion should be put into play.”

“The 39th?” one of the general scrunched up their face in disgust. “Those earth-brats shouldn’t be left outside of Fire Nation Territory.”

“I heard they are _quite_ fond of the third prince,” a younger general chimed in.

“Speaking of which, Prince Lu Ten,” his grandfather boomed. “Would you prefer to spend your year of service cementing the 39th and colonies loyalties by touring our colony outposts, or run communication from one of our local military outposts?”

Before Lu Ten could process the question, his father interrupted.

“If I may, my Firelord?”

“Proceed General Iroh.”

“Would it not be better if my son served his year by leading the 39th at the Siege of Ba Sing Se?”

Firelord Azulon was silent for a moment. “I believe it is a substantial start to Prince Lu Ten’s military career.”

Lu Ten wondered if vanishing from existence was an option now. Could it be?

Because why?

Just.

Why?

Its not like it isn’t common knowledge Lu Ten was planning to do his “service” **_after_** Zuko had a better hold on his bending (and was in a full-time apprenticeship with Piandao so Uncle Ozai couldn’t get near him). Its not like his grandfather was blind to whatever experimental bending Zuko was so proficient in. It’s not like anyone in the entire spirits-damned Fire Nation was unaware of Ozai’s insistence on Zuko learning “proper” bending and refusing to let the kid even _talk_ to kids close to his age.

Unless it was Mai and Ty Lee. As Azula’s friends are very obviously under Azula’s thumb, they were the only exception to this rule. And that was mostly because Azula would pit the three against one another, fight in varying combinations of four, three, and duos against each other, a master warrior or bender OR Lu Ten, specifically.

The fact Dad was explicitly not allowed near the group spoke volumes about Azula and Uncle Ozai’s shared disdain for him… Not that Lu Ten could blame Azula given her father’s influence and his own father’s… difficulty, shall we say, with reading Azula. The fact he still tries to get her to play the flute when Azula would burn the instrument out of existence if given the opportunity, only serves to _reinforce_ her disdain for his dad. The fact he keeps sending her exclusively dolls with Earth Kingdom fashion—the “lesser” nation—when if you listen to her for five minutes, you’ll know she _only_ likes Fire Nation fashion and hates the Earth Kingdom’s idea of what a “Lady” should be. When she isn’t calling them ‘spirit spited’ to explain the low amount of bender compared to their population... And that she uses the dolls Uncle sent her as kindling instead of keeping _any._ It **_really_** should have occurred to his dad to stop sending her these. Hell, Lu Ten finds bending scrolls or weapons or even makeup selected from the colonies and sends them to Azula. She _loves_ those. Even the more Earth Kingdom-centric ones—just not dolls.

And now, in the **_first_** war meeting he was asked to sit in on, the Firelord all but commands him to spend his year in service at the Be Sing Se invasion after his father suggested it. That the White Lotus is opposed to. And Lu Ten? Is a member who is _supposed_ to be gathering more intelligence on possible strategies that can _then_ be sent to Certain Traitors and ‘enemy’ generals. **He can’t do that in Ba Sing Se.**

And oh no. The work he’s been doing to keep KoKo and LaLa away from Uncle Ozai’s influence will up in smoke now. Uncle Ozai _hates_ him, Piandao, and well… anything that doesn’t boost his own ego, really. KoKo will be alone with only Aunt Ursa and LaLa to help him avoid his own father telling people to hit KoKo. ( ~~Do they even know?)~~ That was one of Lu Ten’s jobs.

But he can’t do that if he’s at the Siege of Ba Sing Se, now can he?

Great.

This is going to be worse than Koh’s Lair or the Water Witch.

Why is his luck like this?

Can’t he ( ** _for once_** ) catch a break?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting, wasn't sure what else to do with this one. Next chapter is outlined and partially written--not sure how to order passages quite yet as Plot Happens.

**Author's Note:**

> warning, slow updates as this takes a while to write (checking cannon, reading different takes on bending and their philosophies, outlining, checking in with beta and incorporating edits takes time)
> 
> feel free to call me out on grammar or difficult to read sentences, and enjoy the ride ^^


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